Doha, October 28 (QNA) - HE Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museums (QM) Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani inaugurated the art exhibition "The Rooted Nomad: MF Husain" at the Qatar Museums Gallery in Katara.
The opening ceremony was attended by HE Minister of Education and Higher Education and QM's Vice Chairperson Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater; QM's CEO Mohammed Saad Al Rumaihi; and a distinguished group of guests including Founder of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art Kiran Nadar, and Owais Husain, multimedia artist and son of M.F. Husain.
Organized in collaboration with the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in New Delhi, India, the exhibition offers a compelling artistic experience that highlights the life and work of M.F. Husain, one of the leading figures of Indian modernism, spanning the years 1915–2011.
Guests were treated to a mesmerizing performance of "Manganiyar" by the renowned Indian troupe on Katara's open-air stage. Directed by Indian filmmaker Roysten Abel in partnership with the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, the show blended music, theatre, and visual arts into a captivating experience.
Originally presented at the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2024, the immersive artistic journey, curated and conceptualized by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, now arrives in Doha in a renewed form, offering spatial and sensory experiences that trace Husain's artistic path shaped by memory, mythology, and a spirit of nomadism.
The exhibition opens to the public today and runs until February 7, inviting visitors to engage with a remarkable artistic narrative that fuses history, thought, and visual beauty.
Commenting on the occasion, Director of International Exhibitions at Qatar Museums Issa Al Sharawi stated that the exhibition "The Rooted Nomad: MF Husain" celebrates the extraordinary journey of the artist, and they are honored by the presence of multimedia artist Owais Husain, son of the late M.F. Husain.
At Qatar Museums, he added, they are deeply committed to reaching diverse audiences, both local and international. Exhibitions like "The Rooted Nomad: MF Husain" play a vital role in transmitting culture through meaningful and interactive formats.
He said they aim to explore impactful stories from the past and carry them into the future with renewed energy, as Husain's works build bridges across generations, cultures, and geographies.
He stressed that Husain's legacy reminds all that the stories of the past are not closed chapters, but living narratives that shape tomorrow, they are thrilled to share this cultural journey and invite everyone to discover "The Rooted Nomad: MF Husain," engage with its displays, and reflect on its details.
He affirmed that the exhibition is a cornerstone of Qatar Museums' "Year of Culture: Nation of Evolution" campaign, which marks 20 years since the institution's founding and reflects on Qatar's cultural journey over the past five decades.
He also noted the upcoming opening of Qatar Foundation's "Lawh wa Qalam: M.F. Husain Museum" on November 28, a museum dedicated to celebrating the artist's legacy and featuring over 100 works spanning from the 1950s to the end of his career.
"The Rooted Nomad: MF Husain" is part of the "Nation of Evolution" campaign, an 18-month initiative honoring Qatar's cultural evolution over the past 50 years since the establishment of the National Museum of Qatar, and continues the legacy of the Qatar–India Year of Culture 2019. (QNA)