Whatever it expresses -
even destruction and ruin -
the artistic image
is by definition an embodiment
of hope, it is inspired by faith.
Artistic creation
is by definition a denial of death.
Therefore it is optimistic,
even if in an ultimate sense
the artist is tragic.
And so there can never be
optimistic artists and
pessimistic artists.
There can only be
talent and mediocrity.
— Andrey Tarkovsky
