Qatar Foundation is preparing to open a groundbreaking cultural institution dedicated to one of the 20th century's most influential modernist artists. The Lawh Wa Qalam: M.F. Husain Museum will open its doors on November 28, 2025, in Education City, Doha, marking the establishment of the first and largest museum worldwide devoted exclusively to the work of Maqbool Fida Husain. This comprehensive cultural landmark will showcase an extensive collection spanning six decades of artistic practice across multiple disciplines, including painting, film, tapestry, photography, poetry, and installation art.
The museum's architectural concept draws directly from Husain's own artistic vision, taking its fundamental design from a 2008 sketch the artist created depicting how he envisioned the museum should look. This approach reflects Husain's lifelong commitment to experimentation and his philosophy of dissolving traditional boundaries between different artistic disciplines. The building itself becomes an extension of the artist's creative legacy, embodying his innovative spirit in its very structure.
Spanning more than 3,000 square meters, the museum will house both permanent collections and immersive displays that trace Husain's remarkable career from the 1950s until his death in 2011. Among the exhibition highlights will be a significant cycle of paintings commissioned by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, inspired by Arab civilization and completed during the artist's final years while living in Qatar. The galleries will also feature "Seeroo fi al Ardh" (2009), Husain's last major work, which is a multimedia installation depicting humanity's technological and cultural progress throughout history.
Born in India in 1913, Husain emerged as a pivotal figure in modern Indian art when he became a founding member of the Progressive Artists Group in 1947. This movement represented a decisive break from academic artistic traditions and played a crucial role in shaping a distinctly modern Indian visual language. Throughout his prolific career, Husain's work traversed multiple mediums including oil painting, serigraphy, sculpture, and cinema, while exploring diverse themes ranging from mythological epics and rural life to postcolonial realities and religious diversity.
Husain's international recognition was reflected in his participation in prestigious exhibitions worldwide, from his early showing at the Venice Biennale in 1952 to a major retrospective at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 2014. The artist described himself as a "global nomad," forging strong cultural and artistic ties with Europe, the United States, and the Arab world. His connection to Qatar became particularly significant in his later years, as he spent his final period in the country and eventually became a Qatari citizen.
The museum's location within Education City is strategically significant, as this area already serves as home to numerous public art installations, research centers, and international universities. This placement situates Husain's artistic legacy within a broader context of creativity and cultural exchange, fostering dialogue between his work and contemporary questions about art's role in society. According to Kholoud M. Al-Ali, executive director of community engagement and programming at Qatar Foundation, the museum space has been specifically designed to encourage exploration and critical engagement, connecting audiences with Husain's art as a living, evolving legacy rather than treating it as a static historical archive.
The opening of the Lawh Wa Qalam: M.F. Husain Museum represents more than just the establishment of a new cultural institution; it marks Qatar's continued commitment to becoming a major hub for international art and culture in the Middle East. By dedicating such substantial resources to preserving and presenting Husain's work, Qatar Foundation is ensuring that future generations will have access to the complete scope of this influential artist's contributions to modern art.
