Por Siempre

A visual and verbal narrative of the grit and gentleness in Southwestern Latinx communities through photography by Antonio Salazar and poetry by José Olivarez, author of Citizen Illegal.

Guns, tattoos, pit bulls, and cars appear alongside a tender aubade, a couple holding hands, a baby bathing in a kitchen sink; landscapes and skylines in Phoenix and Los Angeles show palm trees and messy garages; long white socks and acrylic nails of younger generations meet the smiles and traditions of elders. In a society that would rather disappear or ignore its own grittier dimensions, Salazar’s work is both a refusal to be silenced and a love letter to the communities that sing, dance, live, and love, in their own beautiful and dangerous ways.

Alongside Salazar’s powerful visual narrative, a series of poetry by José Olivarez appears throughout the book. Each poem ＂speaks＂ in its own way--to, of, with, and beyond the subjects of Salazar’s photos--with humor, honesty, and compassion. These artists together in Por Siempre are a force: expanding and lifting each other’s best parts, as those in sincere and caring communities often do.

Antonio Salazar is a photographer based in Phoenix, Arizona. His work features a glimpse into the culture of the fifth largest city in the U.S. Themes surrounding Chicane/x identity in the Southwest are heavily explored through his art.Born in Bogota, Colombia and Raised in Pilsen, Mateo Zapata’s work insists on the visibility of his community.

José Olivarez is the son of Mexican immigrants. His debut book of poems, Citizen Illegal, was a finalist for the PEN/Jean Stein Award and a winner of the 2018 Chicago Review of Books Poetry Prize.