(57) A large area liquid crystal display (10) in which all of the picture elements (pixels) (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48) thereof are macroscopically sized and operatively disposed within the correspondingly sized and shaped openings created between the adjacent rows and columns of a support structure (18). By also utilizing discrete, large area switching elements (50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66) such as diodes or transistors, for addressing the individual picture elements operatively disposed in any given row or column of the structure, all of the active elements of the large area display are capable of manual manipulation. In this manner, the cost of even very large area displays is minimized and inoperative or defective pixels or switching elements are readily replaceable. The use of V-shaped or "butterfly" lenses (82) about the e periphery of each of the pixels covers the interstices (72, 74) of the support structure (18).