It is not easy being the granddaughter of Pablo Picasso, the world’s most famous artist.

But then again it does give you special insight into his life and work. Diana Widmaier Picasso has drawn upon her family history and art historical knowledge to curate “Picasso Mania,” a new show organized in collaboration by the Réunion des musées nationaux—Grand Palais, the Centre Pompidou and the Musée national Picasso—Paris, opening at the Grand Palais in Paris on October 7th. Her two co-curators are Didier Ottinger, Associate Director MNAM-Centre Pompidou and Emilie Bouvard, curator at Musée Picasso.

The exhibition is about art but also about celebrity, in particular how Picasso became a popular cultural figure in addition to being the world’s most famous artist. The exhibition at the Grand Palais is both chronological and thematic, highlighting key moments in Picasso’s career and how they fed into the myth that was constructed around him and his name.

Diana Picasso Photo: Courtesy www.emol.com.

The show looks at Picasso’s influence across the 20th century on creative people working in a variety of different fields, including art, architecture, music, theatre and film. Displays run the gamut of media and techniques and include video, painting, sculpture, graphic arts, film, photography, and installation.

Benjamin Genocchio spoke with Diana Widmaier Picasso on camera about her new show, and her grandfather.