A groundbreaking new museum dedicated to one of India's most celebrated and controversial modern artists is set to open in Doha at the end of November. The Lawh Wa Qalam: The M.F. Husain Museum will showcase the extraordinary works of Maqbool Fida Husain, who spent his final years in self-imposed exile in Qatar after leaving India amid legal troubles and violent protests over his controversial paintings.
The 3,000 square meter museum, located within Qatar Foundation's Education City, is based on an architectural concept drawn by Husain himself. The design was discovered among the artist's papers following his death in 2011, making the museum a posthumous realization of his own creative vision. Designed by architect Martand Khosla, the museum's name translates to "Tablet and Pen" in English, symbolizing the fundamental tools of artistic creation.
Husain was known for his unconventional working methods, painting while standing barefoot and creating an astounding 40,000 works during his lifetime. Beyond painting, he directed films, designed furniture, and sketched on everything from napkins to walls. His prolific output and distinctive style made him India's most famous modern artist, though his work often sparked intense controversy and debate.
The museum will feature some of Husain's most ambitious and significant works, including the sweeping Arab Civilisation series and "Seeroo fi al Ardh," a mechanical, multimedia installation that celebrates humanity's progress through land, air, and sea. Visitors will be able to explore personal objects, early sketches, and multimedia installations that chronicle the evolution of his distinctive visual style, from the mythic figures of Indian epics to the desert horses, falcons, and arabesques that came to define his later years in the Gulf.
After a lifetime of both acclaim and controversy in India, Husain left his homeland in 2006 for Dubai following a series of lawsuits and violent protests sparked by some of his more provocative works. Though he never renounced his love for India, he refused to return under the threat of prosecution. His departure marked the beginning of a period of exile that would profoundly influence his final artistic phase.
When Qatar extended an offer of citizenship in 2010, Husain accepted, finding a new home in the Gulf nation. His new surroundings had a dramatic impact on his artistic palette, infusing his work with desert golds, turquoise blues, and the gleam of modern glass architecture. It was in Qatar that he created the Arab Civilisation series, commissioned by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned, the wife of the former Emir of Qatar, as well as his final work "Seeroo fi al Ardh," which fused his lifelong fascination with mythology and movement with the futuristic architecture rising around him.
Kholoud Mohammed Al Ali, Executive Director of Community Engagement and Programming at Qatar Foundation, emphasized the museum's broader cultural mission. "The museum will provide a space for exploration, discovery and critical thinking, fostering artistic dialogue and creating meaningful connections with audiences of all ages and backgrounds," she said. She added that within the multidisciplinary environment of Education City, the museum will illustrate the power of creativity to inspire, educate, and foster cross-cultural understanding that connects communities and worlds.
The new museum joins Doha's rapidly expanding and increasingly prestigious art scene, which includes notable installations such as Richard Serra's towering sculpture "7" at MIA Park on the Corniche and more than 100 public artworks scattered throughout Education City. The opening comes at a particularly significant time for Qatar's cultural ambitions, as the city prepares to host the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar in 2026, cementing its position as a major international art destination.
The museum represents more than just a tribute to a single artist; it symbolizes the transformation of exile into artistic triumph. In a facility born from Husain's own hand-drawn design, his final works will be displayed to the public in Qatar, the place where one of modern art's most mercurial figures finally found a home and created some of his most profound works before his death in 2011.
