At first glance, it all evokes emptiness and separation, stillness and realism. It’s as if the paintings that show so little say a lot of what’s not there. But then if you look even closer – and you’ll see it. Not just in the paintings per se, although it does have the ability to affect you in the most profound manner. But it also allows you to look at yourself intuitively – on how you can relate to the art in one way or another and how it gives you the means to confront reality at its finest moments.

I first came across John Register when his work got featured in a little-known gem of a film from Curtis Hanson. It served as a mood fixture that parallels with the storyline of the lives of the characters. I wasn’t at all bothered that much at an early point – I guess perhaps, I was too engrossed with the drama that’s happening onscreen. However, after the end of the film and patiently sitting through the end credits – there it was and I saw as his name rolled by. John Register. And by that time, I was pretty sure that’s one name you would hardly forget. It really ‘register’-ed and boy did Google helped me pique my interest level several notches high.

I was mesmerized. Hooked. I admire Register’s aesthetic sensibility of showing rawness in a most minimal way. As cliché as this may sound, and you pretty much hear this all of the time but dare I say it that “less is more” resonates a lot in his body of work. An empty chair situated close to an huge impressive window makes quite an impact on how you see things that others may see differently. It creates a tangible effect that in order to simplify your life from its chaos and complications, you have to strip yourself from your worldly possessions. Be bold to take risks and be resilient to changes.


And though it is part of my bucket list to see his paintings in person sometime in the future – one thing is for sure; John Register has definitely left an imprint on me. How he managed to create an experience out of his paintings leave a lot to the senses. Like you and I along with the world, we take notice and we carry on.

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To read a full bio of John Register, check out his retrospective.

To experience the world according to John Register, visit this dedicated gallery.

Photos via Magnolia Editions and John Register: A Retrospective

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