A painting collection on the ritual of Ashura, titled ‘Under the Sky of Hussein (AS)’ was on display at the Iranian Artists’ Forum recently.
The series included 17 oil paintings on canvas, featuring the day of Ashura, commemorated by Shi’a Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the Battle of Karbala, Honaronline reported.
The collection portrayed an artistic and social dimension of the historical event, said curator Abdolhamid Qadirian. “In the paintings, I focused on a quotation by Zaynab (SA) that says: ‘I saw nothing in Ashura, but beauty’.”
Zaynab bint Ali is the daughter of the first Shia Imam, Ali (AS) and his wife Fatimah. Sister of Imam Hussein (AS), she is revered not only for her admirable characteristics and actions, but also for continuation of the biological lineage of the Ahl al-Bayt (Household of the Prophet). Like other members of her family, she became a great figure of sacrifice, strength and piety in Islam.
“Ashura is considered more as a political and historical event, and viewed less is an aesthetic and epistemological perspective,” Qadirian said. Imam Hussein’s heroic sacrifice was the central theme of his paintings.
Qadirian, 55, started his painting career in 1981. He has held over 45 group and two solo painting and sculpture exhibitions so far.
