In their debut poetry collection I Love Her More Than I Fear God, Pthalo centers the spiritual and the body in works of visceral free verse. The poems oscillate between the ethereal and the grotesque, ultimately becoming grounded in worship of lesbian love and self-adoration. The poems are accompanied by art made by Manuela Guillén, inspired by the interplay between culture and the natural world. The interwoven works seek to foster empathy by encouraging those to “find solace in chaos” and to celebrate the love between queer women of color.
About the Riverwards Chapbook Series
The Riverwards Chapbook Series is a unique collaborative exhibition and publishing pilot by The Head & The Hand (H&H). The goal of the Salons was to create a space where local artists and writers could gain access to one another’s work and discover potential collaborators in their own corner of Philadelphia (specifically, the River Wards neighborhoods of Kensington, Fishtown, Port Richmond, and Olde Richmond). A hand-chosen committee of mentors nominated over 35 writers and artists with connections to the River Wards and of those 20 were selected to read and showcase at interdisciplinary Salons hosted at H&H Books over the course of 2023-2024. After each event, artists and writers were invited to consider which of the works on display felt most aligned with their own; in essence, did any feel enough visual-verbal alchemy to want to partner on a chapbook publication?
Of those 20 artists and writers, the answer was a resounding yes for the three final pairings formed after committee members considered all Salon participants’ requests to collaborate. This inaugural run of the Riverwards Arts & Letters Series features collaborations between artist Manuela Guillén and poet Pthalo, artist Nora E Luks and poet Mary Zhou, and artist Rushawn Stanley, or "Scum Lizard", and poet Gabriel Ramirez.
H&H is grateful for series sponsorship provided by the Penn Treaty Special Services District and PECO Powering the Arts.
Manuela Guillen
Manuela Guillén is a passionate Philadelphia-based artist, merging her Cuban and Salvadorian heritage into her work as a painter, muralist, and digital illustrator. Her art, inspired by plants, tropical colors, and her upbringing, focuses on promoting art education and addressing sociopolitical and environmental issues. Collaborating with organizations globally, her murals adorn spaces in the U.S. and Mexico. As an Art teacher, she aims to inspire creativity and bring communities together through the power of art.
Pthalo
Pthalo is a poet and artist who uses their craft to confront the tension between his queer identity and the rigid expectations of Christianity. Growing up in an environment where these parts of her were at odds, their work has become a space where she can reclaim and assert who he is, challenging the narratives that seek to erase or diminish LGBTQ lives. Their poetry is often intense and confrontational, wrestling with themes of divine rejection, grace, and the struggle for acceptance. Through his art, they strive to create a world where their identity is not only visible but celebrated—a place where others like her can find solace and strength. Their work is both a protest and a prayer, a way to navigate the complexities of faith, identity, and belonging.
