Peter Max, the artist whose colorful and swirling psychedelic pop art captured the optimism of the 1960s "flower power" movement and appeared on countless consumer products, has died at 88, his son announced in a written statement Wednesday.
Max died Monday, according to the statement, which did not provide a cause of death. His work, characterized by its bold colors and distinctive style, remained popular into the 21st century, adorning everything from postage stamps to a cruise ship.
Born Peter Max Finkelstein in Berlin in 1937, Max's 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 he was 16. He studied art in New York and began his graphic design career in the 1960s. His art quickly became synonymous with the era's counterculture, with his posters frequently seen on dorm room walls and his designs featured on household furnishings.
Max was an official artist for numerous high-profile events, including the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the Indianapolis 500, the World Cup, and the World Series. His work also graced a Boeing 777 airplane and a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, and he created portraits of subjects ranging from U.S. presidents to musicians.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, his distinctive murals of flowers, cosmic imagery, and cartoonish figures in vibrant colors like turquoise, orange, and neon green became ubiquitous.
His commercial success led to his work appearing on 70 different product lines. Max himself was featured on the cover of Life magazine in 1969. "We will remember his extraordinary creativity, his warmth, his curiosity, and the way he saw beauty and possibility everywhere," his son Adam Max said. "His art became part of American culture, but the man behind that art — the father we knew and loved — is the person we will miss most."
After achieving significant commercial success, Max closed his business for a period in the early 1970s to focus on painting. A notable project after his return to public life was a series of Statue of Liberty portraits painted at the White House in 1981 at the invitation of first lady Nancy Reagan.
Max's life and career were not without controversy. In 1997, he pleaded guilty to tax fraud after failing to report over $1 million in income. He was initially sentenced to two months in prison but ultimately completed the sentence through a work-release program, paid back taxes and a fine, and performed community service teaching art.
In 2015, his family life drew tabloid attention amidst a dispute between his second wife, Mary, and his son Adam from a previous marriage. Allegations involved financial mismanagement and coercion, with conflicting claims from both sides.
Despite these personal challenges, Max's art consistently conveyed a message of positivity and peace. "The colors are strong, sometimes loud, sometimes raw and sometimes harmonious, but always powerful, and the images are always on the side of the peaceful nature," Max once stated. "I don’t discuss in my paintings negative things, I don’t dwell on it in my mind and don’t dwell on it in my canvases."
While some have suggested his work was not always taken seriously by the art establishment, Max's art has been featured in numerous museum exhibitions, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York holds seven of his works.
Max was also friends with many celebrities and had a deep interest in Eastern spirituality. He played a role in introducing Swami Satchidananda to the United States and popularizing yoga.
His first marriage to Elizabeth Nance ended in divorce. He is survived by his second wife, Mary Max, his son Adam Cosmo, and a daughter, Libra Astro.