Lisa Sanchez

In Week Five of our course, I was struck by the figure of Zainab, whose speech in the aftermath of the massacre at Karbala continues to have powerful resonance, particularly for Shia muslims.

It is rare to encounter female characters who are remembered through history or mythology as bold, brave, eloquent, and admirable speakers. Yet Zainab is said to have risen up out of her suffering to confront and shame Yazid, who was responsible for the death of her brother and her sons. In the wake of such devastating violence at Karbala, it is striking that Zainab’s presence has such lasting force simply because of the power of her words.

Although Zainab is victimized due to the violence done to her family, I decided to portray her in simple, modest dress and with erect posture, recalling her noble status as the granddaughter of Muhammad. I chose charcoal as my medium and made use of bold lines to convey her character. Her profile occupies only a portion of the image, while her words billow outward like smoke, drifting far beyond the canvas.