Lawh Wa Qalam: M.F. Husain Museum is the latest addition to Doha’s Education City, a sprawling site created by Qatar Foundation that includes the campuses of several international universities, schools, research centres and the Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.
The museum is more of a modern, hybrid cultural learning space than a traditional art venue. True to the late Indian painter’s unconventional spirit, it is designed as a dynamic live studio where students, researchers and community members can converge to explore and interact with the artist’s multifaceted work. It also offers an opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary dialogue across the arts, history, spirituality and Husain’s Arab and South Asian heritage. In doing so, the museum realises both the essence of the artist’s creative philosophy and practice and the Foundation’s own educational mission.
“We’re hoping that this is an experience for everyone within Education City, whether you’re a student in a school or at university,” says Kholoud Al-Ali, the executive director of community engagement and programming at Qatar Foundation. “We are looking into engaging visits from the wider community with vast opportunities for learning through workshops, talks and film screenings,” she says, adding that an artist-in-residency programme was also among the ideas being explored.
The museum’s library, which contains books on Indian modern art and Islamic philosophy as well as works about Husain himself Courtesy of Qatar Foundation
Lawh Wa Qalam: M.F. Husain Museum presents a new model for museum practice in Qatar—one that merges cross-cultural literacy with interdisciplinary teaching and critical thinking. “We have the advantage of several universities being in close proximity, like VCUarts, Georgetown and Northwestern, in addition to Mathaf. There’s a lot of collaboration that we can do with these universities and institutions,” Al-Ali explains.
The museum also houses a library, developed in collaboration with the Qatar National Library, which has been enriched by a carefully curated collection of books by and about Husain, along with key reference materials on Indian modern art, Islamic art, philosophy, cinema and architecture, creating a dedicated space for reading and research.
Tapping into Husain’s creative evolution, from painting and sculpting to design, photography and filmmaking, the museum offers wide-ranging opportunities for students and researchers to engage with his artwork through diverse displays, including murals, canvases, billboard posters and films, explains Noof Mohammed, the museum’s curator and project manager.
Husain’s multidisciplinarity has transformed the museum into a learning ground, not only for arts and film students, but also for engineering students through his final masterpiece Seeroo fi al Ardh (Walk In The Land)—a kinetic installation that blends art, movement and engineering. “We want to welcome engineering students who are interested in Seeroo fi al Ardh due to the sophisticated mechanics involved in the making of the installation. They can explore the amazing machinery behind all of that kinetic movement,” Al-Ali says.
Beyond the walls of Education City, the museum is working on outreach programmes in collaboration with Qatar Academy and government schools to engage younger students through tours and educational activities. As part of these outreach efforts, the museum offers a unique and accessible space for children, with Art in Motion and the Film Tower being among the main interactive learning tools that will pique their curiosity.
Art in Motion, a 360-degree immersive experience, displays some of Husain’s famed paintings in an animated form of storytelling that breathes life into his already vivid world. “You’re actually walking into his art and trying to understand why he did everything. You’re inside the colours,” Mohammed says.
Another educational tool that will cater to young minds is the Film Tower, which features two of Husain’s most celebrated films—Gaja Gamini (2000) and Meenaxi (2004)—by focusing on moving images, light and sound. The room also introduces children to the praxinoscope, one of the earliest optical tools preceding modern cinema, as this will help them understand film history. “They’re going to learn about different topics through art and technology,” Mohammed says. “So through the children’s outreach programs, we will be helping them explore their creative sides.”
The museum is not only a tribute to Husain’s creative legacy, it also serves as a catalyst for critical inquiry, imagination and exchange—all pillars of the artist’s work and aspirations. It thus serves to advance Qatar Foundation’s broader mission to foster modern and fluid creative spaces where learning and artistic growth are lifelong pursuits.
“That’s the kind of legacy we thrive on. Husain was a polymath, and the sky was the limit for whatever he contributed to,” says Jowaher Almarri, manager of communications outreach at Qatar Foundation. “The museum is therefore a great inspiration for the upcoming generation, telling them that there is no limit to what you can do.”
