Saqqakhana Collage

This collage directly references events that took place at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE in which Imam Husayn (third Shi'i Imam and the Prophet's grandson), his family and troops were massacred at the hands of the Sunni Caliph, Yazid's troops. The martyrdom of Husayn is considered a defining event in the history of Shi'ism and a formation of Shi'i identity.

This collage mimics a wall of a public water fountain (saqqakhana). Saqqakhanas evoke the thirst and agony that Husayn, his family, and troops suffered during the battle. 'Abbas was a central figure in the battle; he was the standard bearer, water carrier, and fearless warrior in the battle. He brought water to Husayn's family in the scorching desert even after one of his hands was severed. The upper tile shows him holding the wounded 'Ali Akbar, Husayn's older son. An inscription refers to him as "the moon of the Hashemites," a metaphor for his "moon-like" handsome countenance.The iron grille along with ribbons, beads, and tassels attached by people who drank from the fountain is another prominent feature of these water fountains.