BERN.- Kunstmuseum Berne presents There is Desire Left (Knock, Knock). 40 Years of Fine Arts from the Mondstudio Collection, on view through April 27, 2008. The Mondstudio Collection has an international reputation as one of the most important collections of contemporary painting. Without following fashionable trends, it collects painting styles from the middle of the 20th century until the present. Andy Warhol, Robert Ryman, Gerhard Richter - these are only a few of the prominent names and fixed stars in the universe of painting that can be seen in the exhibition.

Presenting approximately 80 works, the exhibition in the Museum of Fine Arts Bern will be showing a selection from the Mondstudio Collection. The collection was compiled in just under 25 years by a collector who prefers to remain in the background and to allow his collection to speak for itself. In the meantime, the collection comprises more than 600 works and is being expanded continually. The exhibition title "There is Desire Left" - a quote from a painting by Tim Ayres - is indicative of the passion for collecting: not all desires can be fulfilled.

Among others, paintings by Andy Warhol, Robert Ryman and Gerhard Richter will be shown that have almost become classics, as well as recent works by Federle, Katharina Grosse, Bernard Frize and David Reed to name but a few. The Mondstudio Collection is striking for the high quality of the works. It documents the development of painting over the last 40 years as well as illustrating the relationships and contrasts inherent to the essence of painting. Video works and photographs have also been included in the collection.

Personal and unconventional - The presentation, developed in close collaboration with the collector, will document his wide-ranging interests as well as his personal focus. Unconventional juxtapositions reveal unusual perspectives on various works and styles. The old question pertaining to the essence of painting runs through the whole presentation like a red thread. The broad spectrum of expression offered by painting as a medium is astounding. In the exhibition, the works enter into a dynamic dialogue, whereby differing artistic attitudes become apparent.

With works by: Tim Ayres, Reto Boller, Herbert Brandl, Max Cole, Dadamaino, Andreas Exner, Helmut Federle, Bernard Frize, Tamara Grcic, Joachim Grommek, Katharina Grosse, Alex Katz, Garry Kuehn, Brice Marden, Joseph Marioni, Ingo Meller, Jos van Merendonk, Richard Allen Morris, Julian Opie, David Reed, James Reineking, Gerhard Richter, Winston Roeth, Robert Ryman, Dirk Skreber, Alan Uglow, Andy Warhol, John Wesley, Jerry Zeniuk, Peter Zimmermann.

The exhibition will also travel to: Museum Wiesbaden, June 1 - September 23, 2008.