M.F. Husain, India’s most renowned modern artist, passed away 14 years ago at 95, but his legacy lives on. Earlier this year, one of his works sold for $13.8 million, setting a record and making him India’s most expensive artist. The opening of Lawh wa Qalam (The Canvas and the Pen) in Qatar, the first museum dedicated to a single Indian artist outside India, further solidifies his impact.
Located in Doha, not Husain’s birthplace of Pandharpur, the museum reflects his strained relationship with Hindu nationalists, who targeted him for depicting Hindu goddesses in the nude. Facing death threats, vandalism, and over 900 legal cases, Husain left India in 2006. In 2010, he accepted Qatari citizenship, renouncing his Indian nationality with "deep pain."
A "celebrity artist," Husain produced over 40,000 works, from horses and daily life to abstracts and portraits of Indian luminaries. The Qatar museum displays 140 of his pieces, including works commissioned by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser on Arab civilization, highlighting Husain’s global artistic legacy.
The museum also showcases Husain's other contributions, including sculptures and a short film that won top honors at the Berlin Film Festival. While it avoids the controversial works that led to his exile, Husain’s legacy endures. The Qatar museum serves as a bridge between South Asia and the Gulf, reflecting his lasting global impact.
