I admit that I discovered Jack Stauber only recently, thanks to Exit Reality by Valentina Tanni, a book that analyzes the relationship between art and technology on the Internet and that I highly recommend for those who, like me, are lovers of memes and all that lore that invades the vast world of the Internet every day (its English edition was also recently published). In her book, the author talks about Stauber's work defining it as "pure low-fidelity hypnagogic pop (...), a surreal and melancholic lo-fi universe that fills a quantity of short videos on YouTube populated by strange characters and nonsense stories."
Some creators have defined him as an artist with childish creativity (in a positive sense) with a fetish for teeth, a recurring element in his videos and with a unique psychedelic vocal tone.
His music also has an unconventional style, starting from the promotional videos of his albums to the extended version of his surreal animated shorts called Micro pop singles. Videos like Can I have a peppermint or I need a doctor have shaken the world of the internet in a rather peculiar way, extravagant music accompanied by a series of animations and videos that range from stop motion to freehand drawing. It's not for everyone, of course, but his work lies precisely in knowing how to touch the most restless strings of our character.
He began his career in 2013 and since then has accumulated a large audience with over 3.1 million subscribers on YouTube and almost 1 million followers on Instagram. His videos are inspired by artists such as Jan Svankmajer (a director known for stop motion films such as Alice) and the characteristic traits of the popular culture of the 2000s, the one in which Stauber grew up, made up of comics, video games and days spent on the Internet.
But why doesn't Jack Stauber make videos anymore?
As of this writing, his last YouTube upload was about two years ago. Fans think he disappeared without even saying goodbye. Rumors and theories occasionally spread around the Internet. In the last post, we can still find comments from fans begging the artist to start making videos again: "We miss you, Jack" wrote one fan. Ironically, the last video has a song that deals with missing people. Unlike many other creators on YouTube, Stauber appears to be a rather distant figure from his audience and private about his personal life.
Reddit has been trying to figure out what happened to their beloved Jack for a while. "No one really knows, but it's very likely he's posting his stuff on Patreon now" one fan speculated last year. Others say he had a big project in the works (which is safe to assume was Opal). Indeed, on his Patreon, the artist had stated that he was building a small studio and that he was eager to get back to making music. But these are still statements made in 2020. Doubts are still in the air as many believe that he has simply moved on with his life, gotten a wife and settled down: "Maybe he had to find a different job and that is making it difficult for him to find time to make art. Maybe he is not doing great and needs a break."
So, while he has not been active on platforms like Twitter or Instagram for a while, we know that he periodically interacts with his fans via Patreon. Here, he assures his followers that he is still actively involved in his creative endeavors and that he maintains a connection with his dedicated community. In short, Jack Stauber, musician and animator, has chosen to take a step back from social media.
Jack Stauber, therefore, remains alive and well and continues to connect with his supporters, sharing updates that affirm his continued commitment to creative endeavors. We'll see if he'll be willing to repost his videos in the future.
Many, including myself, hope so.
by FRANCESCO SARCINELLA
