A Pulverantilist Manifesto

 

1.Pulverantilism is a presence of being in the world. It is not political. It is an aesthetic that embraces equalizes all things from the smallest pulverant to the largest mountain. 

    

“Pulverantilism” was coined by Simon Powell in August 2018.  It not only free’s a film photographer from the expectations of critique, but elevates and makes equal all subjects IN the plain of the photograph, AND, the plain of the photograph itself.  Artifacts of craftsmanship and production are celebrated.  A pulverantilist recognizes that every moment and the moments between moments AT HAND, are the perfect subjects of awe and gratitude.  A pulverantilist doesn’t need to travel to exotic locales (though nice!) to capture the fundamental experience of being alive and making with their hands interpretive expressions of life!  Life is dirty and grainy and painful and joyous all at once.  A pulverantlist recognizes the special power of film photography to capture these essential qualia AND to expose true being in the world without time.

 

2. A pulverantilist shoots for the sake of pure shooting ONLY with no intended commercial, reproducible or other byproduct of your experience- BEING IN: completely self-absorbed shooting.  

 

Experiment, plasticize, synthesize disparate components for a new aesthetic.  Create new lenses, new macros, new zooms, new focal points.  Novel scanning methods, exposures, pinholes, filters, papers and chemicals.  Genuine inspiration comes from what you have, not what you wish you had. 

 

3.Take care of your session. 

 

You will experience a powerful intimacy with time and space in the world.  There is but one moment when being in the world.

 

4.Shoot in the world only with total mindfulness of FEELING CALCULUS as well as TECHNICAL CALCULUS. BE the moment in the shooting process. 

 

 A "professional photographer” is recompensed based on her ability to reproduce still images of events for utilitarian use, usually for commercial marketing and sales enterprises.  (Weddings, adverts etc.)These photographers capture reproductions at the behest of clients, are required to serve the commercial aesthetic tastes of their employers.  A Pulverantilist understands the need for such work, but would carefully weigh the advice or take to heart any judgements or suggestions from a “professional photographer.”  Their work and photographic world view are already tainted with and predicated on the need for the byproduct of a session to have a monetary value.  While the byproduct of a Pulverantilists shoot session COULD be utilized and sold for profit, IT IS NOT the PRIME reason for shooting.  While a "professional  photographer" could also be a pulverantilist, professionalism tends to judgement and immediate critique, making it difficult to experience a moment in that moment without preconception.

Thus:

                

5.A Pulverantilist is their own SOLE ARBITER of taste and aesthetic and it's resultant effects. 

 

There is only a single CRITERION: do you like it?  And more importantly even if you hate it at first, do you understand the impulse which led you to shoot the image and ultimately an appreciation of a different view, tangent presented by the universe and your existence in such universe be it dark or light.  A Pulverantilist must be prepared to be the ONLY person who likes their work.  A solitary position.  It is a pointless and futile exercise to create byproducts of shooting sessions which become subjected to judgement or mass appeal.  Such engagements are inauthentic.  A Pulverantilist is willing to take dark and ugly pictures as well as brilliant and foudroyant pictures.  

        

6. A Pulverantilist understands they are part of the universe and demonstrates humility.

 

You may be accosted or even ridiculed for your work. Pay no mind.  A Pulverantilist embraces the grain and pulverizes any opposition with clear mindfulness and a pride for their work.  Being humble only means not letting critique or doubt, whether self or externally generated, get under your skin and derail your efforts to capture the sublime and wondrous.   The world is full of critics like insects attracted to a light in the dark night. You are that light for which they are unable to resist, whilst critiquing. The critique doesn't address the work of a pulverantilist, but only represents a critics inability to resist the work's attraction.  You may encounter sarcastic ones whose only issue is they are afraid.  The thought of being in a world outside their own view is frightening as it can be for all of us!  Where the Pulverantilist finds sarcasm from a Non-Pulverantilist, he only finds fear.  You can quickly disregard such comments as they serve no practical value to the Pulverantilist.  You will be few.  Seek each other, you will know the work when you see it.

        

7. A Pulverantilist shares their work and ideas without fear. Be brave so others may know they are not alone.

 

Share more than a solitary word.  A story but not necessarily an opinion.  That doesn't mean you have no opinion! Of course you have an opinion, like any human they are everpresent as the ends of your toroid center. If solicited share your opinion, but more importantly share what you are feeling.  That is the true power of pulverantilism, honest bravery and respect .  We all need one another. Help to spread this credo.  Be personally responsible for your actions. SHOOT FILM. PRINT PAPER PRODUCTS.

 

Wayne Fowler 

17 August 2018