Peter Max, Artist of the Psychedelic Era, Dies at 88
Peter Max, whose vibrant and colorful artwork defined the psychedelic pop art movement of the 1960s, has died at the age of 88, according to a statement from his son.
Peter Max, the artist whose distinctive, colorful style became synonymous with the optimistic spirit of the 1960s "flower power" movement, died Monday. He was 88.
Max’s prolific output and accessible aesthetic kept his work popular well into the 21st century. His art graced numerous event posters, including those for the Olympics, the Super Bowl, and the World Cup. His designs were also featured on a Boeing 777 airplane and a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, and he created portraits of various public figures, from U.S. presidents to musicians.
Born Peter Max Finkelstein in 1937 in Berlin, his Jewish family fled Nazi Germany when he was an infant. They lived in Shanghai, Tibet, Israel, and Paris before settling in New York City when Max was 16. He studied art in New York at the Art Students League, the School of Visual Arts, and Pratt Institute.
He opened a graphic design studio in 1961, and his bold style quickly gained traction with advertising agencies, publications, and the corporate world. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, his signature swirling designs, featuring vivid colors, flowers, and cosmic imagery, became ubiquitous, appearing on posters in dorm rooms and on household furnishings.
Max’s commercial success was extensive, leading to over 70 product lines. However, he expressed a desire to return to painting, which he did after temporarily closing his business in the early 1970s. One of his significant projects after this hiatus was a series of portraits of the Statue of Liberty, painted at the White House at the invitation of first lady Nancy Reagan in 1981.
Despite the joyful and peaceful themes in his art, Max’s life and career were marked by controversies. In 1997, he pleaded guilty to tax fraud, ultimately agreeing to pay back taxes, a fine, and perform community service teaching art. In 2015, his family was involved in legal disputes concerning his finances and artwork.
Max’s artistic legacy includes numerous museum exhibitions worldwide, with seven of his works held by The Museum of Modern Art in New York. While sometimes mistakenly attributed as the artist for the Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” animated film, his involvement is described as early consulting work.
Max was friends with many celebrities and had a deep interest in Eastern spirituality. He is survived by his wife, Mary Max, a daughter, Libra Astro, and a son, Adam Cosmo.