Solaris, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky in 1972

sqq. *

Art is realistic when it strives to express an ethical ideal. Realism is striving for truth, and truth is always beautiful. Here the aesthetic coincides with the ethical.

— Andrei Tarkovsky

sqq. *

He [Andrei Tarkovsky] had a rare, enormous gift on concentration. That he had done so much, and, most importantly, how he done it, was due to the ability of his to concentrate, which is very rare. In art, in general, concentration is a very serious thing. A true concentration. When your comprehension is very deep. A very few people can do it, only great artists.

— Eduard Artemyev

sqq. *

Mirror, dir. by Andrei Tarkovsky in 1975

sqq. * / ** / ***

Solaris, dir. by Andrei Tarkovsky in 1972

Stalker; dir. by Andrei Tarkovsky in 1979

An artist never works under ideal conditions. If they existed, his work wouldn't exist, for the artist doesn't live in a vacuum. Some sort of pressure must exist. The artist exists because the world is not perfect. Art would be useless if the world were perfect, as man wouldn't look for harmony but would simply live in it. Art is born out of an ill-designed world.

— Andrei Tarkovsky

Never try to convey your idea to the audience — it is a thankless and senseless task. Show them life, and they'll find within themselves the means to assess and appreciate it.

— Andrei Tarkovsky

Ivan's Childhood; dir. by Andrei Tarkovsky in 1962

Those who create their own worlds are generally the poets.

— Andrei Tarkovsky