Chapter II Summary and Analysis

Art, to Tarkovsky, is an attempt to explain the meaning of existence, and especially the artist's own existence. Art is a "symbol of the universe." Modern art has taken a "wrong turn" by abandoning the search for the meaning of existence in favor of affirming the value of the individual. But because true art is spiritual, that does not mean it is not grounded in reality. On the contrary—the best art pulls from reality.

Art is also about communication and unifying people. The artist cannot work solely for the purpose of "self-expression"; he must be communicating something. The audience/viewer/reader understands art on an emotional level, rather than a scientific, intellectual level. Art is not logical, like science, and does not follow rational rules. To understand art, a spectator must give in to the image and...