“DOUBLE VISION” IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENTIALISM: A. TARKOVSKY’S DIRECTING AS A SPECIAL TYPE OF DISCURSIVITY

Annotation

In previous publications devoted to the philosophical and cultural aspects of the work of film director A. Tarkovsky, much attention was paid to his peculiarities as a philosopher, which does not contradict the perception of the director in film criticism as one of the creators of poetic cinema and the so-called “author’s” cinema. It does not contradict, but it does not exhaust the integral vision of his poetics and aesthetics yet. This article attempts to see the poetics and aesthetics of the director through the prism of the philosophical trend, which was extremely popular in the world of art and, in particular, in cinema during the heyday of his work. This trend is existentialism. Undoubtedly, A. Tarkovsky is close to this direction. However, the main attention in this article is also paid to the cultural interpretation of A. Tarkovsky as an author, i. e. as a representative of the “author’s” cinema, but already in its philosophical and cultural understanding. In understanding the uniqueness of the director as an author, culture turns out to be especially significant, which is actually indisputable and applicable to many film directors. But in relation to A. Tarkovsky, this is a special case. The fact is that some of the filmmakers bring something to cinema, without which it is impossible either to understand culture or to give an exhaustive description of it, or rather, its emerging new type, which is born in a transitional period when a change of types of culture is unfolding. Without awareness of such a transition, it is impossible to comprehend the authorship of A. Tarkovsky, that the author of this article is trying to interpret, based on the domestic version of the science of culture. The peculiarity of the director’s work lies in the fact that at that phase of Russian culture, when his films appear, there is a depletion of what is usually called Soviet culture and a gradual rehabilitation of Russian culture is unfolding, experiencing a renaissance belated in comparison with other European cultures in the first decades of the twentieth century, however, artificially interrupted by the processes of formation of mass society and destructive the elements of the revolution. But. Tarkovsky is one of the rare, if not the only artist who overcomes the gap in the continuity of Russian culture, and his films mark the transition to a new type of culture in which the sensual principle gradually gives way to the supersensible element, as evidenced, for example, by such an artistic trend as symbolism. This circumstance allows Russian culture to overcome destructive processes and gaps at a new stage of its functioning.

Keywords

Tarkovsky’s discourse, author, model, personality, culture, existentialism, “double vision”, metaphilm, cultural continuity gap, Silver Age, poetic cinema, author’s cinematography, film reception, L. Shestov, F. Dostoevsky, M. Foucault, A. Kroeber, G. Kunitsyn, A. Efros, M. Turovskaya, D. Salinsky

Literature

1. Hegel, G. V. F. Estetika [Aesthetics]. Moskow, Art, 1968, vol. 1, pр. 63 (in Russian).
2. Gogol, N. V. Polnoe sobranie sochinenij: v 14 t. [The complete works in 14 volumes].
Moskow, 1952, vol. 8 (in Russian).
3. Jamison, F. Postmodernizm, ili kul’turnaya logika pozdnego kapitalizma [Postmodernism, or the cultural logic of late capitalism]. Moscow, Publishing House of the Gaidar
Institute, 2019 (in Russian).
4. Evlampiev, I. I. Hudozhestvennaya filosofiya Andreya Tarkovskogo [The artistic
philosophy of Andrei Tarkovsky]. Saint Petersburg, Alethea, 2001, 349 p. (in Russian).
5. Zorkaya, N. M. Kak v zerkale: Bergman v tekstah Andreya Tarkovskogo [As in a mirror:
Bergman in the texts of Andrei Tarkovsky]. In: Session, 1996, no. 13, pр. 75–79 (in Russian).
6. Zorkaya, N. M. Formula preobrazheniya (Tri sud’by) [Formula of transformation:
(Three destinies)]. In: Culturological notes, iss. 4. The role of the intelligentsia in shaping the
picture of the world Moskow, 1998, pр. 182–203 (in Russian).
7. Isupov, K. G. Russkaya filosofskaya tanatologiya [Russian philosophical thanatology].
In: Questions of philosophy, 1994, no. 3, pр. 107 (in Russian).
8. Iskusstvo kino [The art of cinema], 1975, no. 3, pр. 13 (in Russian).
9. Kroeber, A. Izbrannoe: Priroda kul’tury [Favorites: The nature of culture]. Moskow,
Russian Political Encyclopedia (ROSSPEN), 2004, pр. 782, 10008 p. (in Russian).
10. Krasota spaset mir… [Beauty will save the world…]. In: The art of cinema, 1989, no. 2
(in Russian).
11. Kogda fil’m okonchen. Govoryat rezhissery “Mosfil’ma” [When the film is over. The
directors of Mosfilm speak]. Moskow, Art, 1964, pр. 58. 244 p. (in Russian).
12. Kunitsyn, G. I. Otkrytye pis’ma “arhitektoru perestrojki” A. N. Yakovlevu [Open letters
to the “architect of perestroika” A. N. Yakovlev]. In: Literary Russia, 1996–1997 (in Russian).
13. Kunitsyn, G. I. K istorii “Andreya Rubleva” [On the history of “Andrei Rublev”].
In: About Tarkovsky: Memories in two books. Compilation and author of the preface by
M. Tarkovskaya. Moskow, Dedalus, 2002, pр. 414–417 (in Russian).
14. Kunitsyn, G. I. Pochemu ya ne stal ministrom kinematografii. Zapisala G. Ikonnikova
[Why didn’t I become the Minister of Cinematography. Recorded by G. Ikonnikova]. In:
Cinematography of the thaw. Book 1. Moscow, Mainland, 1996, pр. 197–203 (in Russian).
15. Kretschmar, D. Politika i kul’tura pri Brezhneve, Andropove i Chernenko. 1970–1985
gg. [Politics and culture under Brezhnev, Andropov and Chernenko. 1970–1985. Foreword
by K. Aimermacher. Translated from the German by M. Rathaus. Association of Researchers
of the Russian state of the twentieth century]. The Institute of Russian and Soviet Culture
named after Y. M. Lotman at the Ruhr University in Bochum. Moskow, AIRO XX, 1997, 316 p.
(in Russian).
16. Latynina, A. N. “Dostich’ absolyuta…”. Dnevniki Andreya Tarkovskogo [“To achieve
the absolute…”. The diaries of Andrei Tarkovsky]. In: Novy Mir, 2008, no. 8, pр. 157–164
(in Russian).
17. Motroshilova, N. V. O dialoge Meraba Mamardashvili s Zhanom- Polem Sartrom
[About Merab Mamardashvili’s dialogue with Jean- Paul Sartre]. In: Merab Konstantinovich
Mamardashvili. Moscow, Russian Political Encyclopedia (ROSSPEN), 2009, pр. 319–348.
438 pp. (in Russian).
18. Mir i fil’my Andreya Tarkovskogo. Razmyshleniya. Issledovaniya. Vospominaniya.
Pis’ma [The world and films of Andrei Tarkovsky. Reflections. Researches. Memories. Letters].
Moskow, Art, 1991, pр. 343 326–438 (in Russian).
19. Nekhoroshev, L. N. Priblizhenie k istine: Priznaki hristianskoj kul’tury v fil’me
Andreya Tarkovskogo “Andrej Rublev” [Approaching the truth: Signs of Christian culture
in Andrei Tarkovsky’s film “Andrei Rublev”]. In: The fate of culture — the fate of mankind:
culture — art — cinema. Moskow, VGIK, 1996, pр. 44–102 (in Russian).
20. Sartre, J. P. Po povodu “Ivanova detstva” [About “Ivanov’s childhood”]. In: The world
and films of Andrei Tarkovsky. Reflections. Researches. Memories. Letters. Moskow, Art, 1991,
pр. 11–21 (in Russian).
21. Salinsky, D. A. Kinogermenevtika Tarkovskogo [Tarkovsky’s film Hermeneutics].
Moskow, Production center “Quadriga”, 2009, pр. 406. 576 p. (in Russian).
22. Tarkovsky, A. A. Martirolog. Dnevniki. 1970–1986 [Martyrology. The diaries.
1970–1986. Publishing project and text preparation by Andrey Tarkovsky]. Florence, Andrey
Tarkovsky International Institute, 2008 (in Russian).
23. Tarkovsky, A. A. Vstat’ na put’ [Get on the path]. In: The art of cinema, 1989, no. 2,
pр. 113 (in Russian).
24. Turovskaya, M. I. Sem’ s polovinoj, ili fil’my Andreya Tarkovskogo [Seven and a half,
or the films of Andrei Tarkovsky]. Moskow, Art, 1991, 255 p. (in Russian).
25. Foucault, M. Chto takoe avtor? [What is an author?]. In: Foucault, M. The will to
truth. Beyond knowledge, power and sexuality. Works of different years. Moskow, Castel, 1996,
448 p. (in Russian).
26. Khrenov, N. A. Iskusstvo ottepeli v kontekste nadloma bol’shevistskoj imperii [The
art of the thaw in the context of the breakdown of the Bolshevik Empire]. In: From the art
of the thaw to the art of the period of the collapse of the empire. Moskow, Canon- Plus, ROOI
“Rehabilitation”, 2013, pр. 89–688 (in Russian).
27. Khrenov, N. A. Osnovateli diskursivnosti v otechestvennoj kinorezhissure i ih
posledovateli: ot A. Tarkovskogo k A. Zvyagincevu. Stat’ya vtoraya [The founders of discursivity
in Russian filmmaking and their followers: from A. Tarkovsky to A. Zvyagintsev. Article two].
In: Culture of culture. Electronic journal of the Scientific Association of Cultural Researchers,
2019, no. 2. [Electronic resource] URL http://www.cult-cult.ru/the-founders-of-the-discursivein-the-russian- cinema-and-their- followers-from-ta/ (accessed: 10.07.2025) (in Russian).
28. Khrenov, N. A. Metodologicheskij aspekt izucheniya istorii iskusstva: princip “istoriya
iskusstva bez imen” v kinematograficheskom variante [Methodological aspect of studying the
history of art: the principle of “the history of art without names” in the cinematic version].
In: Theory of artistic culture, Iss. 16, Moscow, State Institute of Art Studies, 2018, pр. 79–138,
344 p. (in Russian).
29. Khrenov, N. A. Kinorezhissura kak prostranstvo filosofii: A. Tarkovskij kak filosof.
Stat’ya pervaya [Film directing as a space of philosophy: A. Tarkovsky as a philosopher. The
first article]. In: Bulletin of the Russian Christian Humanitarian Academy, 2024, no. 1, pр. 38–57
(in Russian).
30. Khrenov, N. A. Iskusstvo v situacii kul’turologicheskogo povorota. Metodologicheskie
poiski. Monografiya [Art in the situation of a cultural turn. Methodological searches.
Monograph]. Moskow, Canon- Plus, ROOI “Rehabilitation”, 2024, 624 p. (in Russian).
31. Khrenov, N. A. Opyt kul’turologicheskoj interpretacii perekhodnyh processov [The
experience of cultural interpretation of transitional processes]. In: Art in the situation of
cycle change. Interdisciplinary aspects of the study of artistic culture in transitional processes.
Responsible editor N. A. Khrenov. Moskow, Nauka, 2002, pр. 11–55. 467 p. (in Russian).
32. Khrenov, N. A. Russkaya kul’tura i kul’turologiya kak novaya nauka (K semidesyatiletiyu
professora I. V. Kondakova) [Russian culture and cultural studies as a new science (To the
seventieth anniversary of Professor I. V. Kondakov)]. In: Historical turns of culture (To the 70th
anniversary of Professor I. V. Kondakov). General edition and compilation by O. N. Astafieva.
Moskow, Publishing house “Consent”, 2018, pр. 9–25. 494 p. (in Russian).
33. Shestov, L. I. Na vesah Iova [On the scales of Job]. In: Shestov L. Essays. In 2 vols.,
vol. 2. Moskow, Nauka, 1993, 460 p. (in Russian).

The study was funded by the Russian Science Foundation grant No. 24–28–01588, https://
rscf.ru/project/24–28–01588/; Тhe Russian Christian Academy for the Humanities named after
Fyodor Dostoevsky, 15, Fontanka Embankment, Saint Petersburg, 191023, Russian Federation