Panelists during the discussion.
In celebration of the legendary Indian artist Maqbool Fida Husain, a short documentary film that shares the story of his life and work came to intersect in his final art installation, “Seeroo fi al ardh,” was premiered by Qatar Foundation, yesterday.
The documentary on Husain was developed by Qatari production company The Film House and was given its first public screening online on the 10th anniversary of the artist’s death.
Commissioned by H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, Seeroo fi al ardh – opened in December 2019 – is regarded by many as Husain’s masterpiece. Envisaged by the artist before he passed away in 2011, and designed to tell the story of how innovation steered the progress of civilization in the Arab region through a multidimensional creative experience, it was the most ambitious work of his career – and it has now been brought to reality in a permanent home at QF’s Education City.
The ten minutes documentary includes Husain’s story told by his family and industry friends, and culminating on the reveal of his last artwork. The premier was followed by a panel discussion that delved into what makes Husain and Seeroo fi al ardh, so special.
The premier of the documentary was held in partnership with SCALE Magazine, an online art, architecture and design magazine based in Qatar.
Layla Ibrahim Bacha, Senior Art Specialist and Seeroo fi al ardh project supervisor, QF, who was working to bring the art work into reality said she considers her having “an indirect encounter with the artist” during work.
“I was in charge of moving and preserving all the elements that were in his studio in Qatar, the place where he lived and work during last few years of his life. I had the chance to look at his tools brushes, paint and even looking at how he created the environment around him,” she said.
“It was like diving into artist’s brain and trying to understand his creative process and every time I dive more I was amazed how much he was unpredictable and creative,” she added.
Bacha who was among the experts discussing Husain’s influence on both the world of art and the world as a whole further said, “As a place of education, the educational aspect of art, and how knowledge is transferred from it and how it is provided for everyone to see, is very important to QF. We are confident that Seeroo fi al ardh will be a destination not only for our community in Qatar, but for those visiting or just passing through the country – it’s something to come here and see, even for just a few hours, because it is a one-of-a-kind experience.”
Dimitri Yuri, director at The Film House and a QF alumnus, shared his experience in crystallizing Husain’s life into just 10 minutes through the documentary.
“We tried to tell his story in a way he would be happy with – being creative, as he would have wanted us to be. What fascinated me was that he was an observer of the world and the human experience, and Seeroo fi al ardh highlights this,” he said.
Ranjit Hoskote, a poet, art critic, cultural theorist, and independent curator moderated the panel discussion and it also featured Bose Krishnamachari, an artist, curator, and President of the Kochi Biennale Foundation.
The Seeroo fi al ardh documentary has been selected for the Las Cruces International Film Festival, the Jaipur International Film Festival, and the 10th Bangalore Shorts Film Festival, and has won awards at the Crown Wood International Film Festival in India, and the Spotlight Doc Awards.
