Clearly the hardest thing for the working artist is to create his own conception and follow it, unafraid of the strictures it imposes, however rigid these may be... I see it as the clearest evidence of genius when an artist follows his conception, his idea, his principle, so unswervingly that he has this truth of his constantly in his control, never letting go of it even for the sake of his own enjoyment of his work.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the struggle of artists to remain true to their vision and principles despite challenges.
Andrei Tarkovsky highlights the immense difficulty that artists face when trying to maintain their unique vision and integrity while creating their work. He suggests that true genius lies in an artist's unwavering commitment to their conception and principles, even when it requires personal sacrifice or discomfort, illustrating the profound dedication that is necessary to achieve artistic authenticity.
In practice
In a discussion about the dedication of artists during a gallery opening.
AN ARTISTIC DISCOVERY OCCURS EACH TIME AS A NEW AND UNIQUE IMAGE OF THE WORLD, A HIEROGLYPHIC OF ABSOLUTE TRUTH. IT APPEARS AS A REVELATION, AS A MOMENTARY, PASSIONATE WISH TO GRASP INTUITIVELY AND AT A STROKE ALL THE LAWS OF THIS WORLD-ITS BEAUTY AND UGLINESS, ITS COMPASSION AND CRUELTY, ITS INFINITY AND ITS LIMITATIONS.
When I speak of poetry I am not thinking of it as a genre. Poetry is an awareness of the world, a particular way of relating to reality. So poetry becomes a philosophy to guide a man throughout his life.
Art would be useless if the world were perfect.
Perhaps the meaning of all human activity lies in the artistic consciousness, in the pointless and selfless creative act? Perhaps our capacity to create is evidence that we ourselves were created in the image and likeness of God?
Above all, I feel that the sounds of this world are so beautiful in themselves that if only we could listen to them properly, cinema would have no need for music at all.
THE ARTISTIC IMAGE IS ALWAYS A METONYM, WHERE ONE THING IS SUBSTITUTED FOR ANOTHER, THE SMALLER FOR THE GREATER. TO TELL OF WHAT IS LIVING, THE ARTIST USES SOMETHING DEAD; TO SPEAK OF THE INFINITE, HE SHOWS THE FINITE.
I think of myself as a performance artist. I hate being called a pop star. I hate that.
Painting is a nail to which I fasten my ideas.
Form follows function - that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.
The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color.
Yellow is capable of charming God.
If I'm going to be anything more than average, if anyone is going to remember me, then I need to go further, in art, in life, in everything!
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