Qatar Opens Major Museum Dedicated to Indian Modernist M.F. Husain in Doha

The Lawh Wa Qalam: M.F. Husain Museum opened in Doha, Qatar in November 2025, presenting the first large-scale institution devoted to the influential Indian artist. Commissioned by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser through the Qatar Foundation, the museum houses 150 works including paintings, sculptures, films, and photographs spanning Husain's career from the 1950s until his death in 2011. Curator Noof Mohammed described the institution as celebrating Husain's imaginative range and his cultural connections between South Asia and the Arab world. The building, designed by architect Martand Khosla based on a 2008 sketch by Husain, covers approximately 32,300 square feet and incorporates architectural elements reflecting both Indian urbanism and Doha's traditional souq lanes. The museum's three galleries trace Husain's artistic evolution: the first examines India's colonial and independence periods, featuring works responding to historical events like the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and Gandhi's Quit India Movement; the second explores his intellectual engagement with multiple faith traditions through series like 'World Religions' and 'Theorama'; the third presents his late series on Arab civilizations, including paintings such as 'The Battle of Badr' (2008) and 'Arab Astronomy' (2008). A posthumously completed 2019 installation, 'Seeroo fi al ardh,' features a carousel of Murano glass horses and vintage automobiles. The museum's location in Doha reflects Husain's personal connection to Qatar, where he settled in 2009 during his self-imposed exile from India with Sheikha Moza's patronage. Recent recognition of Husain's significance includes a 2024 survey at Delhi's Kiran Nadar Museum of Art during the Venice Biennale and his 1954 painting 'Untitled (Gram Yatra)' selling for $13.8 million in March 2025, setting a record for Indian modernist art.