Customer Reviews

Instant Light: Tarkovsky Polaroids

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Ingmar Bergman is quoted as saying that '..for me, Tarkovsky is the greatest filmmaker' -- not bad, considering that the source is numbered among the most respected directors in the history of cinema. Tarkovsky made a 'scant' 7 films over the course of his career -- but each one of them is outstanding. His philosophy of art and spirituality pervades all of his work -- including the incredible photographs reproduced in this thoughtfully assembled, lovingly printed volume.

Tarkovsky's son, along with Tonino Guerro (a close friend and collaborator of the filmmaker) and Giovanni Chiaramonte (a wonderful Italian photographer whose comments at the end of the book show that he shared a great deal of Tarkovsky's spirit and concerns) have put together this collection -- and I have no doubt that it will not only be treasured by those who are already admirers of the director, but that it will serve as a fitting introduction to those who have as yet missed out on him.

The strength, depth of spirituality, transcendent beauty and wisdom contained in and conveyed by the images and thoughts here are timeless. One of the driving forces in Tarkovsky's work was to 'stop time' so that the viewer might better understand not only the events depicted in his images, but also, upon reflection, better view his own soul, personality and place in the scheme of things. There are many photographs in this book that have that very time-stopping effect.

This is a collection that I will treasure -- I can't recommend it highly enough.

Tarovsky's polaroid photos, many of them landscapes, are evocative and nostalgic, while exhibiting a style of composition that is fresh, inventive, and thoughtful. He manages all this without the need for costly equipment, using only inexpensive polaroid cameras. The photos made me feel as though I had been there and seen his subjects for myself--although I've never been to Russia. Or perhaps Tarovsky's images simply have the power to evoke nostalgic longings in us, without being able to identify where they come from.

Highly recommended.

If anyone remembers polaroid pictures from back in the day, it's truly amazing that Tarkovsky captured the beautiful & haunting images he did. This collection gives the world a postmortem gift from one of the most important filmmakers/artists that has ever graced this earth. We should all give thanks to his son, Andrey A. Tarkovsky, for publishing this collection of pictures and letting us all see these images of mysterious and poetic beauty.

Andrei Tarkovsky was an incredibly talented human being with such artistry of the eye! Again, it was my 19-year daughter who requested Instant Light for a Christmas blessing. The book captures the artist's family flavor beautifully, while reminding the reader to hurry home and kiss their own family. Tarkovsky passed away a few years after he published this collection of polaroid photos, making the book very bittersweet and reminiscent of family memories many years past. It is our hope that Tarkovsky's family know the world remembers him and has been blessed because he was a part of it!

Just like his work on Cinema, his pictures are also incredible.
Very nice book, great comments/poems and amazing quality of printing.

The book it is a very good aproach in Tarkovsky's personal life and ways of seeing detailts in day to day existance

lots of religious references in the text. the pictures were fairly satisfying. was not the greatest gift i've ever given someone.