It is fifty years since Pablo Picasso died, on 8 April 1973 at Notre-Dame-de-Vie, his home in  Mougins. The body of work that he left behind had a profound impact on the entire 20th cen- tury.  

For this anniversary year, the Musée National Picasso-Paris has invited the British designer Sir  Paul Smith, known for his work with colour, tailoring and unexpected details, to lead the artis- tic direction of an exceptional exhibition showcasing the museum’s collection.

This exhibition created in collaboration with Sir Paul Smith is  curated around masterpieces from the collection. The de- signer’s unique approach to the works invites the public to  view them through a contemporary lens and underlines the continuing relevance of Picasso’s work in today’s world. The visions of these two artists sometimes converge, for example around their shared love of objects, dress and playfulness,  thus leading to comparisons and a spectacular, highly in- ventive approach to the presentation of the works. 

Also on show throughout the exhibition are works by contem- porary international artists. In their shared desire to open up  new interpretations to Picasso’s work, Guillermo Kuitca, Obi Okigbo, Mickalene Thomas and Chéri Samba interrogate his  image and putting their own slant on some of his artistic in- novations.