A striking new museum in Doha has opened its doors, celebrating the life and work of legendary Indian artist MF Husain with an imaginative and deeply personal tribute. Named Lawh Wa Qalam, the institution is the world’s first museum dedicated entirely to Husain, whose bold, provocative and emotionally charged artworks reshaped modern Indian art and earned him global acclaim.
Rising on the edge of Qatar’s Education City campus, the building itself is a work of art. Draped in reflective grey-blue tiles and angled dramatically toward the sky, it resembles a sketch leaping from paper into reality — a nod to Husain’s own drawing that inspired its architecture.
Spanning more than 3,000 square meters, the museum houses over 150 artworks and objects, including paintings, sculptures, tapestries, films, photographs and personal items. The collection highlights the extraordinary range of Husain’s artistic life, from early works and mythological explorations to his later expressions shaped by exile and renewed inspiration in Qatar.
A Personal and Intimate Experience
Curator Noof Mohammed says the museum aims to reflect Husain’s desire for a space that felt like home.
“We want visitors to experience the world as he did — intimate, playful and reflective,” she said.
Interactive galleries invite visitors to walk through Husain’s creative universe. Each room begins with one of his quotes, guiding the viewer into the artist’s inner thoughts. Among the emotional highlights are artifacts such as Husain’s old Indian passport, handwritten notes and personal photographs.
Celebrating a Global Visionary
Husain — often called “the Picasso of India” — was renowned for his muscular, dynamic horses, mythological themes and vibrant color palettes that merged Indian modernism with global influences. His works have sold for millions and remain among the most sought-after in contemporary art.
Yet his life was marked by controversy. Protests over his paintings of nude Hindu goddesses forced him into self-exile, and he spent his final years in Qatar, receiving citizenship in 2010.
Artist Yousef Ahmad, who knew Husain well, said the Gulf years were transformative:
“He was deeply engaged here. People forget some of his most ambitious works were conceived in Qatar.”
‘Seeroo fi al ardh’: The Masterpiece at the Museum’s Heart
One major attraction is Seeroo fi al ardh (Walk in the Land) — an ambitious multimedia installation combining movement, sound and mechanical choreography, intended as a sweeping history of civilization.
The building itself stems from a 2008 sketch Husain made, reinterpreted by architect Martand Khosla in collaboration with Qatar Foundation.
“A sketch is intent, not scale,” Khosla said. “The challenge was deciding what should remain literal and what becomes metaphor.”
Art Beyond Borders
Husain’s later works reveal a deep connection to Islamic culture and Arab history. Among them is The Battle of Badr, a large-scale painting capturing spiritual victory through energetic motion and color.
Husain planned a series of 99 works for Qatar but completed 36 before his death. The museum will rotate these pieces over time.
