Asia Art Pacific | Inside the Life, Mind, and Vision of an Artistic Pioneer

Dedicated to the life and work of one of the most influential figures in the history of modern art, Qatar Foundation has unveiled Lawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum—a new addition to the cultural and creative landscape of Qatar and the Arab world.

Housed within Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Education City campus in Doha, the museum—through paintings, films, tapestry, and photography—invites visitors to step into the world of Maqbool Fida Husain, the pioneering Indian artist whose work traversed generations, cultures, and continents, and who lived and worked in Qatar in the later years of his life as he formed a strong bond with the country.

The museum—the design of which is based on a sketch by Husain himself, in which he illustrated his concept for the space which QF, with architect Martand Khosla, has now made a reality—is home to over 150 of Husain’s original works and personal objects that are in the custody of QF. Some of the works it contains have never been publicly displayed before, and stand alongside personal items from Husain’s life as well as interviews and quotes that give visitors an insight into the man behind the art.

Among the artworks within Lawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum—which was inaugurated in November by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation—are some of the 35 paintings inspired by Arab civilization that Husain completed before his death in 2011. Seeroo fi al ardh, his final masterpiece which chronicles the progress of humanity and was opened by QF in 2019, now forms part of the museum, bringing Husain’s artistic vision further to life through a specially curated show.