Celebrating Indian Art Legend MF Husain at a New Museum in Doha

On the outskirts of Doha, a striking grey-blue structure rises against the skyline, its reflective tiles changing with the sunlight and casting intricate shadows. The building, appearing to lean forward, seems ready to share a story.

Lawh Wa Qalam, the worlds first museum devoted entirely to MF Husain, offers a glimpse into the remarkable oeuvre of the late Indian artist, known for his prolific works and tumultuous life.

The museum pays tribute to Husain, who spent his final years in Qatar and received citizenship in 2010. Covering approximately 3,000 square meters, it opened last week as part of the Qatar Foundations Education City campus, an educational and research hub. Visitors can explore over 150 works, including paintings, sculptures, films, tapestries, and photographs, showcasing the full spectrum of Husains career and his later-life artistic reflections.

"We want visitors to experience the world as he didintimately, playfully, and reflectively," explains Noof Mohammed, the museum curator.

Husains art is celebrated for its energy and imagination, particularly his iconic depictions of muscular, dynamic horses, which remain highly prized in contemporary art. A nomadic spirit with a bohemian sensibility, he blended Cubist-inspired modernism with traditional Indian themes, creating vivid canvases that drew from history and mythology. This distinctive style earned him the title "the Picasso of India." He also ventured into filmmaking, though his two Bollywood projects were not commercially successful.

Controversy followed him throughout his career, particularly regarding his paintings of nude Hindu goddesses, which led to accusations of obscenity and forced him into self-imposed exile. In Qatar, away from these cultural conflicts, Husain entered a period of deep reflection and artistic renewal.

"He was inspired by Arab culture and civilization," says Yousef Ahmad, a Qatar-based artist who knew Husain in his final years. "Some of his most ambitious late works were created here."

The museum deliberately avoids being a conventional memorial. One centerpiece is Seeroo fi al ardh (Walk in the Land), a multimedia project Husain envisioned in his final years, combining movement, sound, and mechanical choreography to narrate the story of civilization.

The buildings design draws from a 2008 sketch by Husain, depicting two sculptural forms connected by a cylindrical tower. Indian architect Martand Khosla, working with the Qatar Foundation, translated this sketch into a functional museum, balancing literal and metaphorical interpretations.

"Developing this architectural language allowed us to create a space where visitors can explore every line and shadow as if walking through Husains brushstrokes," Khosla explains. The museum features interactive galleries, long corridors, and immersive displays, including personal objects such as Husains Indian passport, providing an intimate perspective on the artists life.

Husains famed horses remain a highlight, complemented by oral histories collected from friends, collaborators, and associates, giving visitors a personal sense of the artist beyond the public controversies. "At his core, he was a genius fascinated by storytelling, whether through mythology, modernity, or memory," Ahmad adds.

The museum also highlights Husains engagement with Islamic culture and history during his later years. From his Doha studio, he created a series celebrating Arab civilization, depicting Islamic astronomers, philosophers, and desert wanderers with the same kinetic lines that defined his Indian works, but in warm, earthy tones reflecting the Gulf landscape. Notable pieces include The Battle of Badr, showcasing his mastery of movement and color.

Husain was commissioned for 99 works in this series but completed 36, all now housed in the museum. These works are displayed alongside his Indian creations, allowing visitors to appreciate the full scope of his artistic vision. "He had multiple identities simultaneously, and this layering is what makes the museum experience so rich," Khosla says.

Author: Riley Thompson