MF Husain (Photo: Instagram/@artindiamagazine)
The world’s first museum dedicated to legendary Indian painter Maqbool Fida Husain will open in Doha, Qatar, on November 28, the Qatar Foundation announced on Wednesday. Titled “Lawh Wa Qalam: M F Husain Museum”, the institution will trace Husain’s artistic journey from the 1950s until his death in 2011.
Among the highlights will be “Seeroo fi al ardh”, Husain’s final masterpiece presented as a unique 20-minute installation show. The museum will showcase a permanent collection of his works, including paintings, films, tapestries, photography, poetry, and installations, presented through multimedia storytelling.
“Maqbool Fida Husain was one of the world’s most legendary modernists, an artist whose vision resonated across cultures, including here in Qatar, where he lived and worked during his life,” said Kholoud M Al-Ali, Executive Director of Community Engagement and Programming, Qatar Foundation.
The galleries will also display a series of paintings commissioned by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, inspired by Arab civilisation. Husain completed more than 35 of these works before his passing in 2011.
Covering over 3,000 square meters, the museum’s design mirrors a sketch made by Husain himself, reflecting his vision of the building as an artwork in its own right. The architecture embodies his lifelong pursuit of experimentation across disciplines.
“It is an honor to present his work within a dedicated museum of this scale — a space where audiences can engage deeply with his life, his art, and his enduring global legacy. Conceived as a space for inspiration and creativity, the Lawh Wa Qalam: M F Husain Museum reflects Qatar Foundation’s commitment to fostering art and culture,” Al-Ali said.
Husain, celebrated as India’s most prominent modernist painter, spent his later years in Qatar and London. In 2010, he was granted honorary nationality by Qatar, where he lived until his death in 2011.