What makes up a place? A time? A moment? The people who share in it? The means by which they capture it? This year, David Zwirner celebrates 30 years as one of the globe’s leading art galleries with an exhibition in Los Angeles: David Zwirner: 30 Years. Featuring new work from artists like Luc Tuymans and Stan Douglas—who have been with the gallery nearly since its inception—as well as pieces by newer inductees like Elizabeth Peyton, Michael Armitage, and Emma McIntyre, David Zwirner: 30 Years not only honors the gallery’s innovative longevity but coincidentally, like the magazine with which you’re reading, sees subtle and sometimes bold integrations of the color gold in a number of its works.

David Zwirner: 30 Years arrives in conjunction with the opening of the gallery’s new three-story flagship building in LA’s Melrose Hill. 30 Years sprawls across the new construction as well as across two of the gallery’s adjacent spaces—all designed by Selldorf Architects. The monumental exhibition takes the passage of time, so malleable with memory, and immortalizes it, while simultaneously pondering the slippery nature of the three decades in its lead up. The exhibition is a cherished token of the past. A talisman of the present.

We spoke briefly to Senior Director Alex Tuttle about the exhibition and the impressive new outpost in a flourishing pocket of East Hollywood.

What excites you about LA culture and its marketplace, and how do you see this coming across in the LA branch’s ethos?

Los Angeles is exciting because of the diverse creative industries based here including film, art, and music. As someone who grew up in LA, I can attest that the culture is never stagnant. It’s always developing and changing, yet always engaged and informed by the artists living and working here, which is very important.

We are so excited to introduce the community to artists in our program who have yet to show in Los Angeles, alongside those artists who already have a deep connection and resonance with the city. We’re also looking forward to exhibiting artists who are brand new to the program, like Walter Price. LA is truly a city full of artistic minds, and we’re eager to bring this audience a robust and multifaceted exhibition program.

What was something unexpected you encountered in the formation of this unique milestone and show?

Many new galleries have opened in Los Angeles, some of them in our own neighborhood. I’ve been grateful that the audience here is so engaged and has shown enthusiasm for our brand-new space. We’ve only been open in the news space for three weeks and the turnout and positive responses have been astounding.

Having so many artists together in Los Angeles for this opening was pretty special. It definitely made the show and opening magical.