{"id":167557,"date":"2025-11-30T12:27:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-30T12:27:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/167557\/"},"modified":"2025-11-30T12:27:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T12:27:08","slug":"journalist-recalls-rare-memories-of-mf-husain-as-qatar-unveils-his-dedicated-museum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/167557\/","title":{"rendered":"Journalist Recalls Rare Memories Of MF Husain As Qatar Unveils His Dedicated Museum"},"content":{"rendered":"

(MENAFN<\/a>– Gulf Times) Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser on Thursday inaugurated Lawh Wa Qalam: MF Husain Museum at Qatar Foundation’s Education City, unveiling a landmark cultural space dedicated to the legendary modernist Maqbool Fida Husain.<\/p>\n

Conceived in close collaboration with the late artist and built on a promise made to him, the museum marks a historic addition to Qatar’s growing constellation of world-class museums.<\/p>\n

Among the invitees witnessing the inauguration was award-winning author, multimedia journalist, and cultural curator Sahar Zaman, who conducted one of the most widely watched interviews with Husain before his passing.<\/p>\n

With 25 years of experience and a celebrated career that includes founding Asia’s first arts web channel, Hunar TV, and authoring the acclaimed 2024 biography\u201cTalat Mahmood: The Definitive Biography\u201d, Sahar’s presence added a deeply personal dimension to the museum’s debut.<\/p>\n

Speaking with Gulf Times about her memories of the legendary artist, Sahar recalled her interviews with Husain during the last decade of his life-a period marked by creative urgency, global travel, and self-imposed exile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI say with great pride and equal humility that MF Husain became a friend in the last and final decade of his life,\u201d she said.\u201cIn his 90s, he was racing against time to finish his large-scale projects-Indian cinema, Arab civilization, and his final work Seero fi al Ardh.\u201d<\/p>\n

She remembered interviewing him in Dubai, often accompanied by spontaneous moments that revealed his childlike energy.\u201cI once sat with him in his red Ferrari for a short drive,\u201d she said.\u201cHe told me the car would be part of an upcoming artwork. I laughed it off then-but a week later he flew to Italy to work on the Morano horses. His life moved at the pace of his Ferrari.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reflecting on his creative vision, Sahar described Husain as\u201cfearless\u201d-an artist unmoved by judgment or controversy.\u201cHis strong brushstrokes and straight lines were a depiction of that fearlessness,\u201d she said.\u201cAt 90-plus, he relocated to Doha to start afresh, create new work, and build a museum. His zest for life was unmatched.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though his art stirred political controversies in India, Sahar believes time has reaffirmed his stature.\u201cWhen the noise of those debates settles, it’s the genius of his work that shines. Collectors still vie for his art-just this year his Gram Yatra sold for a record $13.8 million. His significance remains unquestionable.\u201d<\/p>\n

A promise fulfilled in Doha<\/p>\n

Sahar described Lawh Wa Qalam as\u201ca triumph of human spirit, unprecedented posthumous glory, and the honour of a promise made to him by Sheikha Moza.\u201d She praised the museum not only as an artistic milestone but as a profound example of cultural stewardship.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s an exemplary display of a promise made and a promise kept,\u201d she said.\u201cFourteen years have passed since Husain’s death, yet the commitment to build his museum was never forgotten. Sheikha Moza will be remembered in golden letters for preserving, showcasing, and reintroducing Husain to generations who might never have known him.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that the museum, positioned in Doha at the crossroads of East and West, will help bridge cultural narratives.\u201cLawh Wa Qalam will sit at the heart of the international art circuit,\u201d she said.\u201cIt will not just preserve Husain’s story but create new dialogues between cultures.\u201d<\/p>\n

A legacy for future generations<\/p>\n

For Sahar, the museum offers a powerful takeaway for visitors.\u201cThey will see that art takes time, struggle, and patience,\u201d she said.\u201cBut when made with sincerity and purity, it becomes immortal and timeless.\u201d<\/p>\n

She believes contemporary artists continue to draw lessons from Husain’s mastery.\u201cHis strokes-whether large canvases or tiny sketches-show extraordinary control and ease. And beyond technique, he was a once-in-a-generation mix of talent, showmanship, strategy, and marketing. He knew what to paint and how to sell.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Qatar opens the doors to Lawh Wa Qalam, Sahar sees the museum not only as a tribute to a global icon but as a celebration of artistic resilience and cross-cultural understanding.\u201cIt brings together two worlds-India and Qatar-through the vision of a man who created his own language of modern Indian art,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Journalist MF Husain MF Husain Museum Qatar<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

MENAFN29112025000067011011ID1110414045<\/p>\n

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