Depending what circles you find yourself in, you would not be judged believing Art was dead. You may spark a long form debate which might ultimately lead to a fruitless and frustrating conclusion, but you wouldn’t be totally wrong. Art has long been under threat from governments, from overt industrialists and ignorant oppositionists who fight for the sake of fighting against anything that frees the human soul. Nevertheless I still believe the mortality of art is still subject to change. In an ever adjusting world there is still hope that the majority of our population will, once again, fall in love with the intellect and full force of true art. One man who seems to strive for the same is Evan Puschak aka Nerdwriter1.
In the same sort of creative realm as Tony Zhou of Every Frame A Painting, Evan Puschak is a comforting and ultimately well-balanced voice in the regeneration of lower-case art into upper-case Art. That moment where a piece of art in film, music, literature or even human behaviour is no longer just entertaining but a profound and study-worthy piece of upper-case Art. So today’s blog post will be, rather aptly, another essayistic one but on the man that through his own video essays is helping to show that Art is, and will always be, very much alive.
As you can see from the screenshot below, as soon as you look at the catalog of videos available on The Nerdwriter channel, there is a diversity in subject albeit with a continuous linking theme: The importance of Observation and subsequent Appreciation. I understand that the capitalization of those two might be, stereo-typically, grammatically incorrect but I am, for the moment, labeling them as specific forms of Art in themselves. The very act of upper-case Observing and Appreciating a piece of work to a great extent, especially in our current world, is an admirable and enjoyable quality.
Puschak’s most recent video ‘Scott Pilgrim: Make Your Transitions Count’ opens many peoples eyes up to the area perhaps most underestimated in film: editing. Editing, whether in corporate videography or filmic cinematography can both make and break the end product. The only issue being is a good editor should be able to create a film with, practically, no evidence that the film was ever edited. The majority of filmmakers will want to immerse their audience in the diegetic universe of the film, so rarely will they want the film to look like a collection of rushes put together and edited. Although that is the truth of the film, at its most basic core, it would not be entertaining or comforting – in most instances – to watch a film where the cuts are obvious. What happens, as a result, is many audiences do not understand the effort and beautiful work that the editor puts into a film. Edgar Wright’s films are, arguably, 70% all about editing, it makes up an astonishing segment of his comic success. Edgar Wright has a fantastic way of leading his scripts and directing his actions and movements, but his films editing is perhaps their most recognizable aspect.
It’s this element of Observation and Appreciation that Puschak concentrates on, the moment where we watch a film and are in love with the smallest of details that transform a piece of work from Entertainment to Art. For anyone who struggles to find these smaller elements The Nerdwriter channel is the perfect accompaniment to a morning coffee. Generally speaking, even when I’m late, I will make my breakfast and watch a Nerdwriter video while eating. Not only does Puschak’s radio-worthy voice provide a welcome accompaniment to the slow process of waking up to go to work or Uni, but the intellect that he teaches us is a great way to start the day. In fact the way much of my day goes is to wake up and watch a Nerdwriter video, go to Uni and do whatever else and watch another or a Crash Course video before sleep. What these videos do is challenge your perception of art and also of the creative industries and never has there been more of a need for a change in perception to both as there is now.
In a culture of creative-bashing and understandable self-doubt within creative personnel as to their industry and their own significance, Evan Puschak and The Nerdwriter channel helps to remind us that the creative industries is one of our most powerful. He reminds us that their are still works of Art that should be treated as such, and that we need to refuse to watch films, read books and observe art so autonomously and we should tip our hat to the true work of creativity. This industry has power, it helps its creators and its audiences, and in the right hands, it helps the world; Evan Puschak helps to remind us of this.
Go subscribe to the man himself! : https://www.youtube.com/user/Nerdwriter1
As always, let me know what you think! 🙂
Liam Xavier 