Headless Imam Husayn with Dove, ca. 1981
September 25th, 2016
In this poster the headless figure of Imam Husayn, clad in a white robe, stands at the head of a mass of red-robed, decapitated figures who represent the seventy-two martyrs of Karbala. The red figures eerily disappear into a blood red sea, perhaps serving as a reminder of the eternal mourning of Shi’i Muslims for the losses suffered on that fateful day. In contrast, Imam Husayn’s white robes stand out as symbols of martyrdom, purity, and paradise, which awaits all future martyrs. A dove swoops across near the bottom of the image, reiterating the future peace and bliss that is given to all those who sacrificed themselves for the Islamic Republic.