Waiting Room 1990

John Register's "Waiting Room" is an etching, likely made with acid eating into a metal plate to create those fine, deliberate lines. The printmaking process is key here. It’s not spontaneous like painting; it requires planning, precision, and labor. There's a feeling of quiet solitude, even melancholy, in the composition. But look closer at how the materials and process contribute to this. The way the ink sits on the paper, the texture created by the etching, all enhance the mood. Printmaking itself has a fascinating history, tied to the rise of mass media and distribution. Each print, while original, is also a multiple, making art more accessible. In Register's hands, though, this democratic medium is used to depict a space of quiet anticipation, almost a void. The way he coaxes such feeling from the etched line is a testament to the power of process, and its ability to infuse an image with meaning beyond the purely visual.