this is not a comment

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.

I was listening to Tree and smoking a Bear whilst sitting under a Kanye when a Pipe came running by.

Have you considered doing an 'understanding philosophy' series. Just a suggestion.

Nerdwriter has been killing it lately

Well that's enough thinking for today

"You call that a pipe, this is a pipe" -Some guy, a long time ago

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.

I want a mug that says "This is not a mug". Please please please please!

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!!

Meanwhile Magritte is laughing "lmao i was just tryin 2 mess wit u niggas lol"

So it could just as easily be called "treachery of language"

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..

Why does it feel like my brain is dancing?

Fuck I'm too high for this.

Most famous dad-joke ever!

*“As a rule, the more bizarre a thing is, the less mysterious it proves to be.”* - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Complete Sherlock Holmes

"This" is probably the best KZfaq 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 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.

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.

That is not a mug.

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.

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!

"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." - Sigmund Freud

Holy shit that was amazing. I've never seen this piece pulled apart and contextualized like you just did. It makes the painting even more impactful.

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!

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.

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!

me: *gets existential af* you: well, that was fun!

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.

I am terribly impressed with your work. Lovely job. Keep up the good work.

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!

I just love the way you use particular words in your explanations. Each word holds an unambiguous meaning. How can I write like you?

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.

Your videos always make me think and humble myself. Thanks for that man.

Hey, Evan. I'm from Brazil and I'm interested in the mug. I think your channel is awesome!

Hey, I have been a fan of your channel for a time now, I'm happy you decided to do this full time. ... AND I'm from Finland and I want the mug too :D

you are AWESOME. Even going a little further than most descriptions of the painting and the series wrap it up. Thank you

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 KZfaq

Here's a paradox: how do you deconstruct the notion of reference in imagery and language if said notion is truly without meaning?

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.

I love this series so much. Always blowing my mind with your analysis!

LOVE your lessons on art history. Thank you for doing this.

"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.

I remember seeing this painting and Duchamp's Fountain in art class and being like "what"

I can't thank you enough for the link to Foucault's essay on Margritte. Much obliged!

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.

This is the first video of yours that I have watched. It was very cool. I will watch more!

Happy birthday for yesterday, dude

Your videos keep getting better and better!

This was such a pleasure to watch! I hope you follow up with a video on semiotics. Your videos are so accessible and so beautifully written.

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

a man has no face

I love it when you make a new video and I get to enjoy it with my morning cup of coffee. Keep up the good work I love all the new stuff you've been doing lately. And happy birthday!

I keep coming back to this one. In my opinion your finest video!

You're the greatest. Mugs for overseas please!

Happy Birthday!

absolutely loved this video and will probably marathon your whole channel for the next few hours !!

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.

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.

hats off, respect.

Aaah i love Magritte! He’s my fav artist ever! I’m glad you did a video on him!

One of the best channels on YT. Cannot wait till you inevitably get big, you deserve it.

What is the intro song?

It seems like this guy could do a great video on "Vanilla Sky."

Beautifully explained. This is one of my favorite pieces of artwork and I love the logical ridiculousness of it.

Extremely thought provoking and very well interpreted .I always wondered about this painting .Thanks for the video

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.

He said, "It will be my birthday yesterday." Interesting in the context of the video as a whole

Thank you for this quality of research and analyses. Discovered Nerdwriter last night, and can't get myself to stop watching all of your previous stylish releases:) And Yes, we are watching you from OUTSIDE the US..

Thank you so much for the link to Foucault's essay, I couldn't find it online anywhere!

That is not a Nerdwriter mug.

"His voice is soothing, but not as soothing as Morgan Freeman's." -Chantelle

one of your simplest videos. fitting to the message. one of my favorites so far

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 !

As soon as I heard the music I knew it was Ferris Beuhler! Cool! Oh and By the way, Happy Birthday!

I feel kind of dumb now. You made philosophy and abstract understandable.

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.

Happy Birthday, +Nerdwriter1! :D

Magritte: “Naw I just wanted to confuse people”

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

it i SUCH a delight to watch your videos man. Thank you for all of this, nothing makes me happier than a mind opening experience.

You were the only news commentator that I liked in seeker stories and I am so glad that I found you here! !!

Whose pipe is this? That's not a pipe, it's a pipe baby? Whose pipe is this? It's Ned's. Who is Ned? Ned the Head baby, Ned the Head.

The thumbnail immediately reminded me of The Fault in our Stars

absolutely majestic channel! please continue making videos!

Your videos are of so high production quality (yet so few views) All the best for your future, loving it!

nice!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was smoking a bent billiard while I watched this video, purely by coincidence.

This is my favorite YT channel by far, keep with your great work

Wonderful work, both Magritts and yours!

I want your channel to grow

Am I the only one here who doesn't study art, philosophy, English or any related topic in college but still watches for the love of it all?

Wow, your channel conveys deeply meaningful content which makes me feel really relaxed, happy and intellectually developed. Thank you and please keep up the awesome work.

This was amazing Always looking forward to your updates

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.

watching this stoned. mind = blown

Your analysis is really cool. I am very interested in art and I've seen you before on other channels. Really like your work. Keep it up! Nice that you bring art closer to younger people!

WOW! just came across your videos and you are seriously amazing! my heart rate started to accelerate as I was understanding the reason behind many things