‘The Rooted Nomad’: Digital immersion in the world of MF Husain. Impressions of the exhibition

In a meaningful event, Qatar Museums (QM) inaugurated the immersive exhibition “The Rooted Nomad, MF Husain” at the QM Gallery in Qatar. This exhibition is not only a celebration of the “extraordinary career” of the iconic Indian painter and filmmaker, but also a centerpiece of QM’s Evolution Nation campaign, which commemorates 20 years of the institution and the cultural journey of the Qatari nation.

The exhibition, presented by Issa Al Shirawi, head of international exhibitions at Qatar Museums, and Roobina Karode, chief curator and representative of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, promises to be more than just an art exhibition. It is an invitation to delve into Husain’s universe, seeking to connect visitors with his history and his unifying vision.

What makes this immersive experience unique?

“The Rooted Nomad” transcends traditional formats. It was initially conceived for the 2024 Venice Biennale, combining physical objects and original works with an immersive 360-degree experience, marking the first time this technology has been used to reinterpret Husain.

The edition presented in Doha is purely digital and experiential, adapted to the scale and structure of the QM galleries. The aim is to use technology to bring powerful stories from the past into the future, in an accessible format that “shares cultures in different ways.” Husain’s work, a bridge between generations, cultures, and geographies, is the perfect vehicle for this dialogue.

Husain’s journey: From vagabond to global modernist

MF Husain is considered India’s most influential artist. Roobina emphasized that Husain’s life and work were characterized by a “deeply humanistic and unifying vision.” His art was born out of a keen awareness of the “fluid, unstable, ironic, and paradoxical” vitality of multi-ethnic, multi-faith India.

• Roots of Folk Art: Born into a working-class Muslim family in a predominantly Hindu village, Husain grew up immersed in cultural diversity, from Muharram processions to Ram Leela plays.
• The People’s Painter: He forged his career on the streets of Bombay (now Mumbai), running away from home at age 20 and surviving as a painter of movie billboards. This contact with the popular and the urban shaped his self-image as a “people’s painter,” an artist who lived and created among the people, not from an “ivory tower.”
• Contextualized modernism: His practice evolved to create a concept of Indian modernism not limited to Western ideas, but “contextualized in the locality and local experience of India.” His canvas then expanded to incorporate symbolic references from world cultures, in an “intercultural dialogue” that remains relevant today.

Impressions of the exhibition

One of the things that has impressed me most about this experience is that it is perfectly set to music and invites you to watch it in any of its three rooms, as the projection is practically the same. Sitting down to watch the entire sequence provides moments in which it seems as if we are floating above it. Something that surprised me is that it features soft tunes that are even invaded at times by the melody of Pink Floyd’s Money.

It is undoubtedly a must-see at the QM Gallery in Qatar, as even the venue itself is 100% Instagram-worthy, both inside and out.

What else does Qatar Museums have in store for Husain’s admirers?

Husain’s connection to Qatar runs deep, as he spent his final years in the country. In addition to “The Rooted Nomad,” Qatar Museums invites the community to a significant event on November 28: the opening of the new MF Husain Museum, “Canvas and Pen,” by the Qatar Foundation. This museum dedicated to Husain will display more than one hundred works, spanning from the 1950s to his final years, offering insight into his early sketches and institutional evolution.

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