This is not a pipe. It is a painting of a pipe. But it's not even that! It is a video of a painting of a pipe. BUT it's not even that! It is most likely an image taken from the internet of a copy of a photo of the painting of the pipe. I love this painting.
I've been learning Spanish and German and I'm amazed at how many words we take at face-value as the "correct word" to use in a sentence, but if asked to describe that word, what it really means besides how it's used, we fall short. For example the person living in the apartment is the tenant. We know to use the word tenant, but only because we've been taught it's the correct word to use. But if you studied a romance language like Spanish, or better still Latin, you'd know that it stems from the Latin " tenēre" which means "to hold". Once you realize this, the correlation between another word such as "Lieutenant" become obvious, someone who holds the fort in lieu, or in place of, someone else. This correlation is lost because the meaning is lost. We're at the point with the English language that most English speakers don't even realize that "Monday" comes from the older usage of "Moon Day", let alone that several of our days of the week come from Norse Gods, such as Woden, Thor, Freyja. The original meaning to the words we use every day has become so detached from their original meaning that to most people who speak the language, the words only have a meaning when used in the context with which we're taught. Monday is the 2nd day of the week, we know it comes after Sunday and before Tuesday, but what does the word really mean? Without that context, it's original meaning is completely lost, and is has no meaning in it's place.
Jake Cordova The main difference with English vs other languages, is that in most languages the words that share common origins are largely still in-use. In English, this is quite a bit different. We'll often use a Germanic word (English's ancestor) for one word, but we might swap out a word from French or Latin for related words. Thus we have situations where what would normally be a root word "Hold" in Germanic, and a number of related words with Latin origins "Tenacious" (Hold fast), "Tenant" (one who holds) "Lieutenant" (to hold in place of). Most other languages which have these Latin-derived words keep the meaning because they don't swap out words from different parts of the Indo-European language tree. "tener" in Spanish, "tenir" in French, "tenere" in Italian. Of course this is just one example of many, English is a Germanic Language at it's core, but Germanic words only account for around 1/4 of the vocabulary. Another 1/4 is French, another 1/4 is Latin, another 1/4 is a mixture of Greek, Unknown, Other, and Proper names. simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language#/media/File:Origins_of_English_PieChart_2D.svg
+Nerdwriter1 You've peaked my curiosity now, your articulate yet straightforward and well made 'understanding' videos would suit a breakdown of philosophy. May I ask, how would you tackle the field? Would you focus on individual philosophers? or on a particular philosophy?
The sentence makes perfect sense on many levels. This (representation) is not (literally) a pipe. (The word) "This" is not a pipe. This (is a framed painting and) is not a pipe.
+theparkourhobo But then again, we could argue that the concept of a mug without linguistic representation is meaningless; we could argue that the signification makes the object. The question of communication vs essence. Very much Chomsky, Wittgenstein and Plato. We're all so much dumber in thought than the philosophers of language. We could sit here and keep pounding out three-sentence theories for days.
I approve this debate. And at some point, it might occur to one that a mug with the words "This is not a mug" is a joke intended stimulate questions about truth, logic, and what is the difference between definition and language. In other words, it's a joke that makes anyone who reads it, the butt of said joke. It's a very smug mug indeed :-)
Thank you for this. Rene Magritte is one of my favorite artists. In fact I'm saving some cash to buy a print of one of his paintings in The Empire of Lights series. I remember seeing one of his works at a museum with my dad (who honesty could care less about modern art) and he said exactly what I believe Magritte would've wanted us to say, "It's like seeing a nightmare." His works are so confrontational and beautiful and this was a very great video analyzing his most famous work. Please continue to bless my timeline!!
with the deconstructive/logocentric angle he took on the art your suggestion would be far more fitting, after all the french have a tradition of privileging language above all else in analysis
Evan, +1 mug request from Turkey. Keep making these, man. Outstanding work. I'm glad that your talent had the chance to shine in public, instead of being locked in a university lecture hall or somewhere else. You compact high quality knowledge and present it through your art. Delightful..
as much as I detest deconstructivism I think its proponents have a valid answer in that culture, history, power structures etc maintain or preserve an arbitrary relation between signifier and signified through convention, and the excision of convention allows signifier and signified to drift apart unanchored in our minds in such a way that is truly representative of reality. whatever the fuck that is. The fact that they must communicate this frantic desire for the deconstruction of all convention through language is, I think, the greatest irony of all.
"This" is probably the best RU-vid video I've ever seen in my life! As an artist who studied in an art school (only for 2 years ok) I have learnt more insight from this video than in all my fine art and art history lectures. I've always loved surrealist art, I paint a kind of surreal art myself, but this video just gave me a wave of brand new appreciation for the genre. Blew my mind. Thank you for creating it. 🐝
I honestly shouldn't be surprised that your videos are always fucking awesome. I totally agree with the first portion of the video. I was never really into visual art so the question "what am I supposed to feel?" really resonates with me. This video, along with your other Understanding Art Painting videos have helped me learn how to appreciate visual art. Thanks for the amazing videos, they're always what I look forward to during the week. PS. Can you do an Understanding Art for a David Fincher film? In my opinion he's one of the best directors working today.
I love how the Nerdwriter gives every video a little dramatic twist with his voice at the end. Makes the content seem even more impressive and important.
Great video as always! To start, I rarely if ever comment on youtube videos but I had to say I've really loved how much more frequently your videos are coming out. I check literally every day for new videos to my subscribed channels and you're one of the ones I look forward to most of all. As a physics degree science buff and medical student, I find that people like me benefit extraordinarily from your art videos. You know a great amount about science-y topics but far more than anyone I've seen about art, history, and media and your ability to communicate that is so well done. If you're wanting to do more Understanding Art videos, I'm sending my request for a Big Lebowski video! I love the movie but I'd really like to see what you could come up with, knowing I won't be disappointed. My only regret is that I think your level of analysis is so deep that it is hard for your channel to become as mainstream as channels like VSauce (another favorite). You have almost the same quality with 1/100th of his subscribers. Good luck in the future, I wish I knew more about advertising on youtube to help you but I'm sure you'll skyrocket soon.
upon seeing this work in high school art decades ago, i never realized how much it resonated. years later when i began painting myself, i insisted on the conceptual basis of my work needing to be understood. each of my pieces and paintings is made of a visual element, a conceptual foundation, a verbal clue (or red herring) and the audience. without them working in conjunction, i have mere clutter in my studio. thank you dissecting this piece, Nerdwriter.
Lovely video! Startled me a bit because I'm literally, right now as I go through my subscriptions, working on a Magritte re-make of sorts. It's in my lap. One of the Interpretation of Dreams pieces instead of the not-a-pipe Pipe. Magritte has been a favorite artist of mine for over a decade now since I first saw his work in middle school at SFMOMA. It's stunning stuff in person. I guess most art is, but yeah. The combination of precious detail and smooth rendering is unsettling/mesmerizing. Great work with all the text manipulation. Very fitting. I tip my representation of a bowler hat to you!
"Ceci n'est pas un pipe" is tantamount to saying our perceptions, the intersection of which is essentially our own individual, flawed perceptions, creates our consensus reality, the world. A world built on subjectivity, but proceeding from a Source that is beyond all explanation, is by definition a world we cannot comprehend. Thus, I suppose, "ceci n'est pas in pipe". Even though it is clearly a pipe. That is the paradox of reality.
honestly as an artist doing art which plays on some idea in a tricky way is one of the most amusing things. Doing amusingly clever things with art is why I do art. It's a joke to me, and I think it was to Renee in at least some way too. But one of those deep jokes you have to think about and don't quite make you laugh, but smile while pondering
I spent the summer in Brussels, Belgium and had the opportunity to visit the Rene Margritte museum. How work both fascinated and challenged me. I hope you get to visit it one day if you haven't already. Thank you for this video.
I love how you use deconstruction criticism to critic this artwork + explained symbols and signs (even mentioning Saussure) without mentioning semiotics. I really love this video. In my world literature class, when we critiqued a text, I watched your videos as inspiration on how to critic a certain work. I studied few channels including this one and it really helped me!
+Nerdwriter1 I've always been wanting to get into philosophy, history and art. I hope you could create some more about this stuff, art styles, philosophies or types of religion or your views on socialism or other things like that.I would love to donate and take part in your channels growth, but as a college student from the third world country I have limited options. Thank you for putting up intellectual content , makes me realize how much time I waste watching stupid stuff on RU-vid instead of this.
I love this! Magritte is one of my favorite artists. I saw his art at the Art Institute of Chicago two summers ago and I could have spent hours speculating at the content of the paintings. The painting that struck me the most was "the Rape". It's quite something. Anyways, I'm excited for next week as always!
I have fallen in love with this channel... everything is just so beautiful... the music, the presentation, his voice, the narration, the way everything makes sense and nothing makes sense at the same time. Damn your channel is so so so so much better than a lot of crap that happens on RU-vid
Nerdwriter's video about the ugliest Van Gogh's masterpiece was recommended to me and from then on I've been binge-watching all his painting related videos. Now I can't stop. Please (don't) send help.
I watched one of your videos today. I had never seen nerdwriter before today. Now I am several videos down and I now have to binge watch every video you have made. Phenomenal. Well done. On fleek. 100,000 subscribers is a fraction of your future. Keep it up, I will head to your patreon page soon too!
The painting is not about language. You forgot to analyse the context in which the painting was created. The painting was created in a time when realism was popular. Magriitte simply mocked the realist artists.
I'm from Brazil and I'm very sad that we don't have channels as interesting as yours here. Every video that I saw on your channel inspires me to continue searching about understand things, understand art, music, movies. Thank You! You're making the difference in whole world, even with this guy here on Brazil.
Why does that ending music always make me cry? Especially with carefully cadenced words. I'm mildly intrigued or amused throughout one of these videos, then at the very end, I'm scrunching up my face, holding back tears, and mumbling, "This is not a pipe, oh god, don't cry, it's not a pipe, ugggh--" ...The power of music. Especially piano music of any kind. Damn it all.
I just knew your channel 2 days ago and I am already loving. The themes, the script, the music background, everything is loveable. Thank you for your work.
It is weird that I try to stay ignorant of arts meaning? I love paintings but I generally don't dissect them. I enjoy them for what they are...a holder of a memory, a piece of reality that doesn't exist...like with songs. I'm a huge music lover, but I never care about lyrics. I just enjoy songs in there entirety, as a whole soundscape. I stay ignant dawg
+Mud Kips that's not weird at all. I too do the same. Its like not wanting to beak behind the closed door to see that its just another room in the house.
+Mud Kips “I have a friend who's an artist and has sometimes taken a view which I don't agree with very well. He'll hold up a flower and say "look how beautiful it is," and I'll agree. Then he says "I as an artist can see how beautiful this is but you as a scientist take this all apart and it becomes a dull thing," and I think that he's kind of nutty. First of all, the beauty that he sees is available to other people and to me too, I believe. Although I may not be quite as refined aesthetically as he is ... I can appreciate the beauty of a flower. At the same time, I see much more about the flower than he sees. I could imagine the cells in there, the complicated actions inside, which also have a beauty. I mean it's not just beauty at this dimension, at one centimeter; there's also beauty at smaller dimensions, the inner structure, also the processes. The fact that the colors in the flower evolved in order to attract insects to pollinate it is interesting; it means that insects can see the color. It adds a question: does this aesthetic sense also exist in the lower forms? Why is it aesthetic? All kinds of interesting questions which the science knowledge only adds to the excitement, the mystery and the awe of a flower. It only adds. I don't understand how it subtracts.” - Richard Feynman
hi! I'm studying creative writing from the Philippines! All of your ideas are helpful in sharpening my critical reading skills. Thank you! I hope you live a long life ^_^
This channel does wonders to bring about amazing thoughts. Truely makes you think, no matter how old the videos are I always go back to them. Thank you for making these videos.
That was a very good, very concise and very clear piece. I have not thought of De Saussure since my semester abroad in college - brings back a tonne of memories and a nice little reminder that not every aspect of my degree was lost on me. Sir, you have earned my subscription.
So I went to a French school & we had serious lessons about how to see or understand art, even a little bit, & about the history of art, because for the French art, culture, philosophy... matter. So what we learned back then is that this idea of "this is an image or a drawing/a representation/a possibility conveying a concept" was something new. It came at a time when the world was changing, transforming in fundamental ways at an increasingly rapid rate. Many, most of them philosophers in their own domain, had written about the concepts of writing, representation or imagery. But this type of discussion was limited to the intellectuals, the artists & the elite. But surrealism brought to a larger public the idea of questioning what were considered self evident concepts the ordinary person never had to think about. Funnily enough, even after being taught all these concepts & ideas, or maybe thanks to those teachings, when I went to see an exposition about Magritte, I had to stop & ponder, look sideways, up close or at a distance & mostly think about the meaning of things. Meanwhile, my companion, who had a different education, mostly didn't understand my fascination. His reaction was mostly interesting, weird or strange with a connotation of uneasy & after a discussion, "I need to think about this".
Hi, I am a new viewer, and really enjoy your work. However, and I am not trying to undermine your work here, but I 'd hope to maybe give you something to think again about, with relation to this painting: 'ceci' does not mean 'this' in French. It means 'this [thing] here'. The sentence is referring directly to the image above, rather that, as you say, itself. There is a grammatical object to the subject of the sentence, which I feel affects its' meaning and its' meaning in relation to the picture. Ah, ignore me, I'm going home now anyway.
Magrite wished us to think about the painting of a pipe. He meant by it that what we were looking at was art, not a pipe. That said, he was also perhaps alluding to Ferdiand de Saussure's conclusions about language and things and the names assigned to them and the reality of some thing looked at and the name it was given, as in this poem that challenges the use of language and the reality of perceiving a butterfly (see below). The poem following it titled, "Child of the World" takes a look at how a very young child makes sense of his world.
BUTTERFLY SCRIPTURE Without words the butterfly is itself. This is what air is, it says; flicker of wings is all. However I try to see anything words come to mind, as now this butterfly becomes a word. Yet I see the sky writing a word that is born out of nature’s mind as if some emblem of the soul. Without words nature’s mouth opens and from it life flies, transcending even life itself. Without words the wordless butterfly is gone, leaving only our memory of it. CHILD OF THE WORLD When it snows his feet creak means he wants to take a walk. When it rings with his hand he makes the telephone talk. The sound of a hammer makes nails go where it’s dark. A squirrel has a tail that’s a question mark. The yard waving means a butterfly is there. Eggs are only where some chickens were. The iron deer in the square is always a fawn. Some wheels make a road as a man mows the lawn.
+CampingforCool41 wouldn't it be because saying "this is not a pipe" implies that the word 'pipe' in the sentence refers to the actual object pipe? And later in the video he explains how the referring process is just consensus without intrinsic meaning, so there would be: 1) a drawing of a pipe 2) a phrase saying "this is not a.." and then 3) 'pipe', which is a word that it's not a pipe either. It's just a word referring to pipe object, just like the drawing.
+CampingforCool41 1) the sentence "This is (the word ->) pipe" 2) the sentence "This is not (the word ->) pipe" is self-contradictory. If things only reference themselves, the sentence "This is not a pipe" becomes self-contradictory.
The Menil Collection in Houston, Texas houses outstanding pieces by Magritte and other masters of Surrealism like Ernst and de Chirico. Thank you for a wonderful episode.
Hei Evan!Belated Happy Birthday !I am from Indian city Kolkata,kudos to you to make such videos...simply love them!Keep it up!you enlighten me with lot of knowledge!I would have really found it boring to read all these stuff in text.I can guess how much effort and hard work you put in to make a single video like this....to put is philosophically....your plant the seed ,raise the tree and give us the fruits it bear !Thank you!.....keep it up! cheers!appreciate it !
i think this is about language/words’ relation to how we perceive the world and the reality we live in, to point out that sometimes, what we see isn’t always what it is _and_ vice versa. like how one thing could lead to multiple interpretations and many things could only lead to one interpretation. also somehow this breaks the rule of tense and grammar in languages, as context and nuance play more significant role
There is a vocal thought experiment you can do to achieve this perspective. Find a word you use regularly, then in solitude repeat this word over and over, back to back like a chant. You will find the word ceases to retain meaning, it becomes an unrecognisable vocal blur.
