THE UPPER ROOM

In Jason Montinola’s third solo exhibit, the artist takes us beyond his thoughts to his “Upper Room” where he conceives his opinions and ideas. Inside this secluded space inconspicuously situated on top of a seemingly endless maze of doors and stairs is where the artist works, sleeps, eats, drinks, and breathes with his art. A place where the grey-green walls and floorboards listen intently, and watch every word and every movement the artist and his visitors make. Taking a more personalized approach for this group of works than in his previous solo exhibitions, Montinola’s concept of the Upper Room gives us a rare peek into his everyday life. The artist also views the Upper Room as a place of revelations, a reference to the Biblical venue of the Lord’s Supper with his apostles. It was here that thoughts of betrayal and denial were exposed and Jesus revealed to the apostles events that would ensue after the supper. However, there is a significant difference between Montinola’s Upper Room, and the Upper Room in the Bible: while revelation is total in the Biblical Upper Room, in Montinola’s personal Upper Room the artist does not entirely unravel all the mysteries of his own being, leaving room for further exploration and discovery by the artist—and the viewer. Putting emphasis on this difference, the artist adapts a famous line from the Upper Room in the Bible and puts the lines in another way saying: “This is my body, this is my blood, do not eat and drink.”

Jason Montinola opens the doors to his solo exhibition, “The Upper Room” on May 17 2009, 6PM at Tala Gallery, 100 Scout De Guia Street, Quezon City. “The Upper Room” remains open until June 7 2009. For further information, call the gallery at 441-1267 or visit our website: www.talagallery.com.ph