Qatar Foundation to Open a M.F. Hussain Museum

Qatar Foundation is set to open the world’s first museum dedicated to the eminent Indian-artist Maqbool Fida Husain. Named Lawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum, this cultural institution in Doha will officially open its doors on November 28. 

The museum aims to capture the wide arc of Husain’s creative journey, bringing together works from his early period in the 1950s up to his final years. These will include his bold paintings, narrative compositions, and other works that span his controversial, admired, and deeply influential artistic phases. 

Husain’s personal connection to Qatar is a significant part of the narrative this museum intends to spotlight. After facing threats and controversies in India, he accepted honorary Qatari citizenship in 2010, and Doha became his final home until his death in London in 2011. The museum will not only display his art but honour this life chapter in which his identity, exile, and sense of belonging played central roles. 

Lawh Wa Qalam, which translates roughly as “Canvas and Pen,” is a fitting name, reflecting both the painterly and the storytelling aspects of Husain’s work. The museum is expected to be more than just a gallery: it’s positioned as a space to explore Husain’s varied motifs — from mythology, horses, and vibrant colours, to human figures and themes of movement and memory. 

With its opening, the museum joins Qatar’s growing portfolio of cultural landmarks that aim to foster a deeper understanding of regional, South Asian, and global modern art. It is anticipated to become a destination for both art lovers and scholars alike, providing access to works that have shaped modern Indian art and beyond. 

Lawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum marks a milestone — for Husain’s legacy, for Qatar’s commitment to culture, and for the region’s engagement with modern art narratives. It offers visitors not just a retrospective, but a chance to reflect on art, identity, and how creative expression transcends borders.