MF Husain’s Legacy Comes Alive in Qatar’s New Immersive Museum

Qatar has unveiled the world’s first museum dedicated to legendary Indian modern artist MF Husain, honoring his prolific legacy through an immersive, interactive experience that reflects both his artistic brilliance and his complex personal journey.

The museum, Lawh Wa Qalam, opened last week on the sprawling campus of Qatar Foundation’s Education City, a major global hub for research, learning and cultural exchange. Its dramatic grey-blue facade rises along the Doha skyline like a geometric sculpture, its shimmering tiles shifting in the sunlight. The structure appears to lean forward — almost as if it is eager to tell a story — echoing the dynamism that defined Husain’s artistic style.

A Home for Husain’s Vision

Spanning 3,000 square meters, the museum features more than 150 artworks and objects, including paintings, sculptures, film footage, tapestries and personal photographs. The display offers a rare look into Husain’s later life, marked by deep reflection and reinvention during his time in Qatar.

Curator Noof Mohammed said that Husain wanted his museum to feel intimate and alive.

“We want visitors to experience the world as he did — in an intimate, playful and reflective manner,” she said.

Visitors move through a labyrinth-style layout inspired by Husain’s own sketches, discovering interactive galleries designed to place them directly inside the artist’s world.

A Life of Creativity and Controversy

MF Husain — widely known as “the Picasso of India” — became one of the most influential modernist painters of the 20th century. His bold brushwork, mythological themes and iconic dynamic horses remain globally celebrated, with works selling for millions.

But Husain’s career was also fraught with controversy. His depictions of Hindu goddesses angered hardline groups, forcing him into exile. He spent his final years in Qatar, where he received citizenship in 2010 and began a period of artistic rebirth.

“He was deeply engaged here, charmed and inspired by Arab civilisation and culture,” said Qatar-based artist Yousef Ahmad.
“People forget that some of his most ambitious works were conceived in Qatar.”

Seeroo fi al ardh: The Masterpiece Returns

Among the museum’s main attractions is Seeroo fi al ardh (Walk in the Land) — a multimedia performance project combining music, movement and mechanical installation. Husain imagined it as a sweeping narrative about human civilization and progress, and it occupied his final years of creative work.

The museum’s architecture itself emerged from a 2008 Husain sketch, realized by Indian architect Martand Khosla.

“A sketch is an intent,” Khosla said. “Translating that intent into a functional space meant inventing a new architectural language.”

A Legacy Reframed

Husain’s later works explore Arab history, Islamic culture and spiritual themes. One highlight is The Battle of Badr, a sweeping canvas depicting a pivotal Islamic moment with vibrant movement and intense color.

Husain was commissioned to create 99 works for Qatar; he completed 36 before his death. The museum plans to rotate the pieces over time.

“He had multiple identities simultaneously,” Khosla noted. “That layering is what makes this project incredibly rich.”

The museum aims not only to celebrate a monumental artist, but to present his legacy in a global context — bridging India, the Arab world, and the shared stories of civilization.