The new Lawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum is the first dedicated institution to celebrate the work of Indian modernist art master Maqbool Fida Husain. The building, courtesy of Delhi-based architect Martand Khosla and spearheaded by non-profit Qatar Foundation (QF), has just opened its doors, showing off its unique character and playfully volumes.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Qatar Foundation)
Inside the Lawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum in Doha
The museum’s rich and colourful identity is a deliberate and carefully purpose-driven architectural gesture. Khosla, an architect and artist himself, drew on Husain’s creative style and approach to craft his design, which indeed mirrors a sketch by the artist himself, which imagined what such a museum might look like.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Qatar Foundation)
Khosla explains: ‘The architectural challenge – one I enjoyed immensely – was to translate his symbolic vision into a contemporary building that could both house his individual legacy and engage with the context of Education City. The museum’s architectural language evolved into a series of spaces that invite reflection and exchange, with materials that celebrate our shared cultural histories across South and West Asia.’
(Image credit: Courtesy of Qatar Foundation)
The building explores Husain’s creative journey from the 1950s until his death in 2011. It includes art pieces (well-known and unseen works), as well as personal objects and materials that influenced the artist’s output and approach. The Arab civilisation was a particular interest, which led Husain to produce a series of 35 paintings, some of which can be found among the exhibits here.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Qatar Foundation)
Alongside the collection, one of the M. F. Husain Museum’s highlights is the artist’s final work: a 2009 installation entitled Seeroo fi al ardh (‘Walk in the Land’), which will be featured in a dedicated gallery. The building also includes a café, a gift shop, a library and Creativity Hub, and an auditorium set to house various events year-round.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Qatar Foundation)
Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, said: ‘Maqbool Fida Husain is a legendary artist – a true master whose artistic works transcend borders and connect cultures, histories, and identities. I am delighted to fulfill the dream of this late, esteemed artist by inaugurating the museum, which will stand as a new landmark in Education City showcasing pages from his life and a collection of his works.’
(Image credit: Courtesy of Qatar Foundation)