Singapore - Singapore Art Museum (SAM) and Mercedes-Benz are proud to present is it tomorrow yet? Highlights from the Daimler Art collection (1926 – 2006), a collection spanning more than a century of art. The western blockbuster showcases 150 works drawn from key modernist art movements in Europe to contemporary art developments of today, and includes artists like Josef Albers, Nam June Paik and Andy Warhol. Engaging with ideas and works from the Bauhaus, concrete and constructivist art, minimalism in Europe and America, the show also features international contemporary photography, video and object art and a section looking at the history of the ready-made. On view 27 November through 1 March, 2009.

Car enthusiasts will also enjoy a special segment featuring car-related art from Warhol and other artists. The show’s title reflects the hopes and aspirations behind many of the modern art movements of the 20th century – that despite the differences in their formulations, styles and forms, they often shared a certain optimism, even impatience, about the future. Hopeful that the next day brings better things, at times they simply asked, “is it tomorrow yet?”

The exhibition opened and was officiated by Guest of Honour, Dr Lee Boon Yang, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts on 25 November 2008, at Singapore Art Museum Glass Hall. Media preview led by the curators was be held on the same day at SAM.

"Singapore Art Museum is delighted to be partnering with Daimler to showcase the stunning Daimler Art Collection." Mr Kwok Kian Chow, Director of Singapore Art Museum said. "From a visually spectacular oversized balloon flower, to the severe restraint of a monochromatic white painting -- this western blockbuster exhibition covers an impressive range of contemporary and modern visual art forms, styles and ideas. We are also delighted that the excellent art education programme will help make these modern artworks and ideas exciting and accessible to younger audiences."

The exhibition is divided into six sections, extending over the museum galleries on the first and second floor. The sections are European Roots: The Bauhaus, Concrete Art & Constructivism; European and American Minimalism (1945-1970s) & European Neo Geo Artists (1980s-90s); The Car-Related Commissioned Works; The European Zero Movement (1960s); The ‘Readymade’ in Contemporary Western Art, and Towards Tomorrow: The Contemporary Works in the Collection.

During the exhibition duration, a 6 by 6 by 6m sculpture will also be displayed on SAM’s front lawn. Untitled (Balloon Flower) was created by the artist IMEX(k) specifically for SAM. The eye-catching artwork looks like a knotted balloon and is inspired by Jeff Koons’ famous “Balloon flower” sculpture. The Daimler Art Collection owns one version of the stainless steel sculpture by Jeff Koons which is prominently placed in Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz.

European Roots: The Bauhaus, Concrete Art & Constructivism

Tracing out the European roots of the Daimler Art collection, the works in this section look at a number of key developments in abstraction which occurred in the first half of the 20^th century. In the early 1900s, many artists began to abandon realistic approaches to concentrate on elements such as line, colour and materials. Often, this new approach manifested itself in non-representational art, containing no references at all to the visible world. Some artists used heavy paint and wild gestures to express emotion; others reduced their compositions to one or two colours. Though it may appear overly simplistic, this kind of work is invariably the result of considerable thought and experimentation. Some choose to stress the pure beauty of radiant colour, and others use everyday objects to question the boundaries of art. Above all, each artist represented in this section is extending a tradition that began in the late-19^th century of expressing meaning, emotion, and the joy of materials without illusionistic replication of the physical world.

About Singapore Art Museum

Opened in January 1996, the mission of the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) is to preserve and present the art histories and contemporary art practices of Singapore and the Southeast Asian region. To date, SAM has amassed the world’s largest public collection of modern and contemporary Southeast Asian artworks with a growing component in international contemporary art. The museum has presented shows covering both local and international art practices, traditional and cutting edge art expressions. Through strategic alliances with international arts and cultural institutions, SAM has been facilitating visual arts education, exchange, research and development within the region and internationally. Through forging collaborative partnerships and staging innovative programmes to engage different audiences, SAM aims to contribute to an enlarged role in the regional visual arts community and Asian art museology, as well as facilitating developments in art as well as the art sector in Singapore. The Singapore Art Museum is located at 71 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555. 8Q sam is located at 8 Queen Street, Singapore 188535. For general enquiries, please contact Front desk at 6332 3222. For more information, visit www.singart.com