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Qatar Museums (QM), in collaboration with the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) New Delhi, is set to present The Rooted Nomad: MF Husain, an immersive exhibition having recourse to works by Maqbool Fida Husain (1913–2011), one of India’s iconic artists. Following its inaugural presentation at the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2024, The Rooted Nomad: MF Husain will be on view from October 28 to February 7, 2026 at QM Gallery Katara. It will be presented as a fully immersive, multi-sensory experiential project tracing Husain’s itinerant spirit and artistic pursuits from his formative years in India to his last years spent in Doha as a citizen of Qatar.The title captures the dual essence of Husain’s life — his deep connections to his homeland and his nomadic, cosmopolitan spirit. Through the artist’s distinguished portfolio of works that weave together myth, memory, and modernity, the exhibition reflects Husain’s vision of India as both an ancient civilisation and a postcolonial nation.Drawing upon a reserve of mythologies, shared histories, literature and manifestations, Husain articulated his harmonised vision of a modern India through a lexicon of symbolic iconographies anchored in a secular artistic sensibility. The dynamic visual panorama is created from images of more than 80 of Husain’s representative works interlaced with textual material that includes his photographs, drawings, poems, cinema posters, and rarely seen archival material. Central to Husain’s artistic inquiry is a restless consciousness, shaped by a lifetime of movement and encounters that make us dwell upon ideas of mobility, migration, moving across borders and beyond geographical and cultural boundaries.In a press statement, Sheikha Reem al-Thani, acting deputy CEO of Exhibitions, Public Art, and Rubaiya Qatar and Director of Central Exhibitions at QM, said: “Husain’s vision—spanning continents, histories, and identities—reflects the spirit of exchange that defines Qatar’s cultural landscape today. This immersive exhibition offers audiences a renewed encounter with an artist whose work continues to inspire global conversations on belonging and creativity.”Conceived and curated by KNMA and visualised and designed by Visioni Srl, Rome, the immersive experience has been reimagined since its inaugural presentation in Venice to introduce new spatial and sensory experiences. The immersive attempts to unpack expanded notions of the idea of ‘yatra’ or journey, both as a crux to civilisational ethos and artistic calling as well as a metaphor for transformation.The complex production integrates motion graphics, live action, 2D and 3D animation, choreography, and sound design. It offers a deeply humanistic and unifying vision, seamlessly blending Husain’s versatile oeuvre to narrate the complex story of this singular figure while reminding audiences of shared narratives that connect people across geographies and generations.Roobina Karode, director and chief curator at KNMA, said: “The Rooted Nomad aims to bring to new audiences the creative journey of the artist with his striking composite quasi-abstract language melding calligraphy, idealised motifs from ancient Indian reliefs and folk traditions, pictorially representing varied themes including the Mahabharata, Karbala and The Last Supper with poetic brevity”.The exhibition is presented as part of Evolution Nation, an 18-month campaign honouring Qatar’s cultural journey over the past 50 years, since the founding of the National Museum of Qatar, and builds on the legacy of the Qatar–India 2019 Year of Culture.

The loot stolen from the Louvre during the weekend heist is valued at more than $100 million, a French prosecutor said Tuesday, as scrutiny mounted over security at the country's cultural institutions.Thieves on Sunday made off with priceless royal jewels from the Louvre museum in a brazen daylight robbery which lasted just seven minutes."The Louvre curator estimated the damages to be 88 million euros," or $102 million, said Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau, calling it an "extraordinary" sum.But she said the greater loss was to France's historical heritage, adding that the thieves would not pocket the full windfall if they had "the very bad idea of melting down these jewels".The theft is the latest from French museums in recent months, and has left authorities scrambling to increase protection measures.In a separate case, a prosecutor said on Tuesday that a Chinese woman had been charged over taking part in the theft of more than $1 million worth of gold nuggets from another Paris museum last month.Scores of investigators were still looking for Sunday's culprits, working on the theory that it was an organised crime group that clambered up a ladder on a truck to break into the museum, then dropped a diamond-studded crown as they fled.Beccuau confirmed that four people were involved in Sunday's robbery and said authorities were analysing fingerprints found at the scene.Detectives were scouring video camera footage from around the Louvre as well as of main highways out of Paris for signs of the four robbers, who escaped on scooters.The heist has reignited a row over the lack of security in French museums, after two other institutions were hit last month.A report by France's Court of Auditors seen by AFP covering 2019 to 2024 points to a "persistent" delay in security upgrades at the Louvre. Only a fourth of one wing was covered by video surveillance.In January, Louvre president Laurence des Cars warned Culture Minister Rachida Dati of a "worrying level of obsolescence", citing the urgent need for major renovations.Interior Minister Laurent Nunez on Monday said he would tighten security outside cultural institutions.In Sunday's heist, thieves parked a truck with an extendable ladder, like those used by movers, below the museum's Apollo Gallery shortly after it opened, climbing up and using cutting equipment to get through a window and open the display cases to steal the jewellery.They made off with eight priceless pieces, including an emerald-and-diamond necklace that Napoleon I gave his wife, Empress Marie-Louise and a diadem that once belonged to the Empress Eugenie, which is dotted with nearly 2,000 diamonds.The museum on Tuesday hit back at criticism that the display cases protecting the jewellery were fragile, saying they were installed in 2019 and "represented a considerable improvement in terms of security".Just last month, criminals broke into Paris's Natural History Museum, making off with gold nuggets worth more than $1.5 million.French authorities announced on Tuesday a 24-year-old Chinese woman has been charged and put in detention in that case after she was arrested in Barcelona, while trying to dispose of nearly one kilogram of melted gold pieces.Also last month, thieves stole two dishes and a vase from a museum in the central city of Limoges, the losses estimated at $7.6 million."Museums are increasingly targeted for the valuable works they hold," according to the Central Office for the Fight against Trafficking in Cultural Property.Labour unions have complained that security staff positions at the Louvre have been cut, even as attendance at the world-famous museum, whose extensive collections include the Mona Lisa, has soared."We cannot do without physical surveillance," a union official said.The Louvre was shut per its usual schedule on Tuesday, having been closed on Sunday and Monday after the heist, leaving crowds of disappointed tourists.

The Louvre was closed for a second day Monday as police hunted for thieves who broke in and stole priceless royal jewels in a spectacular daylight robbery.Officials said a team of 60 investigators was working on the theory that an organised crime group was behind the theft Sunday of nine pieces of jewellery, one of which -- a crown covered in more than 1,000 diamonds -- they dropped in the streets of Paris as they fled.As disappointed tourists rebooked tickets to the world's most visited museum, the heist -- which lasted just seven minutes -- also reignited a row over the lack of security in France's museums, after two other institutions were hit last month.Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin admitted to flaws in securing the Louvre."What is certain is that we have failed, since people were able to park a furniture hoist in the middle of Paris, get people up it in several minutes to grab priceless jewels, giving France a terrible image," he told France Inter radio on Monday.Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has ordered better protection measures around cultural sites, his advisers said.A report by France's Court of Auditors seen by AFP covering 2019 to 2024 points to a "persistent" delay in the museum's security upgrades, with for example just a fourth of one wing of the museum covered by video surveillance.The thieves arrived at around 9:30 am (0730 GMT) on Sunday, shortly after the museum opened at 9:00 am, sources and officials said.They parked a truck with an extendable ladder like those used by movers below the Paris museum's Apollo Gallery, clambering up and using cutting equipment to get in through a window and open the display cases.The world-famous institution, whose extensive collections include the Mona Lisa, may not open again until Wednesday, as it is usually shut on Tuesdays.Shortly before the announcement it was staying closed, queues of impatient visitors had snaked their way across the museum's pyramid courtyard and under the tall arches of the main entrance gallery, hoping to get in.US tourist Jesslyn Ehlers, 38, and her husband were busy rebooking their tickets."We're just kind of disappointed. We've been planning this for a very long time," she said.Carol Fuchs, an elderly tourist from the United States, had been standing in line for more than three-quarters of an hour."The audacity, coming through a window," she told AFP after the disappearance of the jewels."Will they ever be found? I doubt it. I think it's long gone," she said.The masked thieves dropped and damaged the crown of Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, as they made their escape. It is covered in 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, according to the museum's website.But eight priceless items of jewellery remain missing, according to the culture ministry.The list they released included an emerald-and-diamond necklace that Napoleon I gave his wife, Empress Marie-Louise.Also stolen was a diadem that once belonged to the Empress Eugenie, which is dotted with nearly 2,000 diamonds, and a necklace that once belonged to Marie-Amelie, the last queen of France. It is adorned with eight sapphires and 631 diamonds, according to the Louvre's website.The loot would be impossible to sell on in its current state, said Alexandre Giquello, president of the leading auction house Drouot.The raid -- which saw some 2,000 people evacuated from the museum -- is thought to have been carried out by an experienced team, possibly "foreigners", Nunez has said.The intervention of museum staff forced the thieves to flee, leaving behind some of the equipment used in the raid, the culture ministry said.It was the first theft from the Louvre since 1998, when a painting by Camille Corot was stolen and never seen again.France's museums have previously come under criticism for poor security, with many viewed as being less secure than banks and seemingly increasingly targeted by thieves.Last month, criminals broke into Paris's Natural History Museum, making off with gold samples worth $700,000.The same month, thieves stole two dishes and a vase from a museum in the central city of Limoges, the losses estimated at $7.6 million.

Thieves struck after museum opened its doors to publicRaid took just four minutes, culture minister saysCrane mounted on truck used to break upstairs window Thieves broke into Paris' Louvre museum by using a crane and smashing an upstairs window on Sunday, stealing priceless jewellery from an area that houses the French crown jewels before escaping on motorbikes, the French government said. The robbery is likely to raise awkward questions about security at the museum, where officials had already sounded the alarm about lack of investment at a world-famous site that welcomed 8.7 million visitors in 2024. The thieves struck at about 9.30am (0730 GMT) when the museum had already opened its doors to the public, and entered the Galerie d'Apollon building, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. The robbery took around four minutes, Culture Minister Rachida Dati told TF1, and it was carried out by professionals. "We saw some footage: they don't target people, they enter calmly in four minutes, smash display cases, take their loot, and leave. No violence, very professional," she said on TF1. She said one piece of jewellery had been recovered outside the museum, apparently dropped as they made their escape. Dati declined to say what the item was, but newspaper Le Parisien said it was believed to be the crown of Napoleon III's wife, Empress Eugénie. The jewel was broken, the newspaper said. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told France Inter that three or four thieves got into the museum from outside using a crane that was positioned on a truck. "They broke a window, headed to several display cases and stole jewels ... which have a real historical, priceless value," Nunez said. A video posted on X by a museum guide showed visitors filing towards exits in the middle of their tour, initially unaware of the reason for the disruption. Nunez said a probe had been opened, with a specialized police unit that has a high success rate in cracking high-profile robberies such as this one tasked with running it. No injuries were reported, Dati said. The Louvre, the world's most-visited museum and home to Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, said on X it would remain closed for the day for "exceptional reasons". In one of the most daring art thefts in history, the Mona Lisa was stolen from the museum in 1911 in a heist involving a former employee. He was eventually caught and the painting was returned to the museum two years later. Earlier this year, officials at the Louvre requested urgent help from the French government to restore and renovate the museum's ageing exhibition halls and better protect its countless works of art. Dati said the issue of museum security was not new. "For 40 years, there was little focus on securing these major museums, and two years ago, the president of the Louvre requested a security audit from the police prefect. Why? Because museums must adapt to new forms of crime," she said. "Today, it's organised crime - professionals."

The Protection and Social Rehabilitation Center (Aman), part of the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, wrapped up the Light Exhibition held in partnership with Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar.The month-long exhibition showcased Aman’s awareness workshops, engaging students from kindergartens and both public and private schools.In this context, Aman Center’s Acting Executive Director Fadel Mohammed al-Kaabi said the Light Exhibition aimed to foster public awareness and education on social protection, while strengthening child safety measures and nurturing children’s creative and innovative abilities.He emphasised that the exhibition provided an educational environment and a unique opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills using new tools such as light and shadow.Al-Kaabi further noted that more than 20 schools were invited, targeting over 300 students from primary levels in both public and private schools, in addition to students from the Shafallah Center for Persons with Disabilities, children from Dreama Center for Orphan Care, and children benefiting from Aman Center’s internal care services.He explained that the exhibition received positive feedback from educational staff, including social workers and teachers accompanying the students, particularly in how Aman’s awareness workshops were integrated with the exhibition tools. He affirmed that these tools help unleash children’s potential in discovering their identities and creative abilities.For her part, Head of the Communication and Information Office at Aman Center Hanan al-Ali stressed the centre’s commitment to activating community partnerships with various entities and sectors across the country, noting that child protection is a shared responsibility.She added that the collaboration with Dadu Museum marks the beginning of a series of awareness events aimed at children, highlighting the museum’s dedication to delivering information and education through play.

Katara Cultural Village has opened the “Progress and Procession Museum” exhibition to feature artworks and paintings and calligraphy.The exhibition by Qatari artist Khawla Mohamed Abdulaziz al-Mannai was opened by Katara general manager Prof Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti in the presence of representatives of diplomatic missions, artists and art enthusiasts.To run until September 13 at Hall 2 of Building 18 at Katara, the exhibition features nearly 80 diverse artworks combining textiles, realistic, abstract and impressionistic painting along with Arabic calligraphy.It documents al-Mannai's career from her debut in 1990 to 2025 while reflecting the stages of artistic life she has gone through from study and learning to creativity and participation in local and international exhibitions.The exhibition highlights the richness of her artistic experience and the diversity of her styles and techniques.Through her paintings, she presents multiple artistic schools that reveal the interweaving of memories and personal experiences.It also addresses cultural themes with a local flavour such as horses, women, the lighthouse and the sewing machine, opening windows onto the past.The exhibition draws inspiration from other elements influenced by her exposure to diverse global cultures while highlighting the importance of art in building bridges of communication between civilisations.The works on display reflect al-Mannai’s precision and patience as well as the depth of her philosophy, which combines creativity and skill.Thus, the exhibition provides an opportunity for visitors to gain a closer insight into the artist’s creative journey and discover her artistic vision.Al-Mannai studied art in Qatar, learning textile science at Helwan University in Egypt before developing her artistic style while studying abstract art at the University of the Arts in Britain.She believes that artistic style is born of the moment and the idea, and therefore expresses her art in a variety of ways.She has participated in numerous exhibitions both inside and outside Qatar representing the country at international art forums.Among her most notable works is the painting *A Woman from the Past, which was exhibited in Morocco, Britain and France in collaboration with the former ministry of information and the Amiri Diwan.Throughout her career, she received several painting awards from Qatar and the Gulf states and was honoured in Kuwait in 2019 for her research on *Sadu weaving.Al-Mannai was also honoured by the ruler of Sharjah in recognition of her efforts in collecting folk tales.A number of her works has been acquired by prestigious museums and institutions, while two of her textile paintings are on display in a Swiss museum.These works were created with love and dedication, especially those that depict the names of God and verses from the Holy Qur'an.

The Organizing Committee of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 has taken a major step toward strengthening the cultural and heritage dimension of the tournament by signing a landmark cooperation and cultural partnership agreement with the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, the Qatar Basketball Federation, and the FIBA Foundation (the social and legacy arm of the International Basketball Federation).At the outset of the signing ceremony, Mohammed Saad al-Rumaihi, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Museums, and Mohammed Saad al-Mughaseeb, Director General of the Organizing Committee of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 and President of the Qatar Basketball Federation, expressed their profound gratitude to His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Organizing Committee of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027, and Her Excellency HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums' Board of Trustees, for their unwavering support in advancing both the sporting and cultural sectors through the integration of culture and sport.The cooperation and cultural partnership agreement was then signed by Mr. Mohammed Saad Al-Rumaihi and Mr. Mohammed Saad Al-Mughaseeb, in the presence of Mr. Abdullah Yousuf Al-Mulla, Director of the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, and Mr. Fahad Ibrahim Gumaa, Executive Director of Strategic Planning and Integration at the Organizing Committee, alongside guests and representatives of media outlets.This agreement seeks to create a comprehensive framework for collaboration and coordination, paving the way for educational, awareness, marketing, and documentation initiatives that showcase the legacy of basketball at both the local and international levels. It also reinforces Qatar’s standing as a premier global hub for sport and culture.Under the agreement, the partners will host joint exhibitions and showcases on basketball heritage at the 3-2-1 Museum, organize community and interactive fan events both inside and outside the museum, and deliver educational programs, school visits, and workshops exploring the history of the game and its leadership. The initiative will also document the history of basketball in Qatar through collections, digitization, and oral history, while granting access to FIBA’s historical archive for research purposes.On the promotional front, the partners will launch joint digital campaigns, develop commemorative merchandise, and create retail opportunities tied to the World Cup. As part of the legacy and artistic development strand, plans include building community courts decorated with art inspired by the 2027 World Cup, launching joint initiatives to develop coaches, and collecting and preserving memorabilia for future generations.On this occasion, Mr. Mohammed Saad Al-Rumaihi said: We believe that sport and culture are powerful tools for encouraging community engagement and strengthening national identity. Through them, creativity flourishes, social cohesion is reinforced, and innovation grows , all of which are fundamental pillars for building a diverse, knowledge-based society.He added: “In this context, I wish to express my appreciation to our partners at the Qatar Basketball Federation and the Organizing Committee of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 for this constructive collaboration. Together, we look forward to achieving great successes that will leave a lasting legacy for Qatar’s hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027.”Mr. Mohammed Saad Al-Mughaisib said: “This partnership connects our proud sporting history with our thriving present and bright future. The museum preserves our achievements and showcases our sporting heritage, while the tournament opens doors to a global legacy, highlighting Qatar as a leading sports destination. Through this collaboration, we aim to offer fans and visitors a one-of-a-kind experience that goes beyond the court—blending the excitement of sports with culture and knowledge, while inspiring future generations through events that celebrate basketball’s legacy.”At a press conference held on the sidelines of signing ceremony, Abdullah Yousuf al-Mulla, Director of the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum told the media that the agreement plays a vital promotional, cultural, and educational role in introducing the world to Qatar’s rich culture and its proven ability to host major sporting events. He added that the museum serves as a strategic partner in advancing Qatar National Vision 2030 through programs, workshops, cultural sports exhibitions, and school visits that allow students to engage directly with global basketball stars.For his side, Fahad Ibrahim Gumaa, Executive Director of Strategic Planning and Integration at LOC, noted that this partnership aims to promote basketball and the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027, while continuing to build collaboration and investment to connect people across the region and the world with Qatar’s sporting legacy. He highlighted that the initiative will also educate fans and showcase the memorabilia of legendary basketball players, as part of Qatar’s ongoing cooperation with FIBA.