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Pop Art Visionary Peter Max Dies at 88
17 Sep
Summary
- Artist Peter Max, known for psychedelic pop art, has died at 88.
- His vibrant work defined an era, capturing post-war optimism.
- Max's family fled Nazi persecution before he settled in Brooklyn.
Peter Max, the influential German-American artist renowned for his psychedelic posters and vibrant pop art, died on Monday at a Manhattan hospital. He was 88 years old and had been battling Alzheimer's disease. Max, born Peter Max Finkelstein in Berlin in 1937, and his Jewish parents fled Nazi persecution.
His family's journey included a decade in Shanghai before settling in Brooklyn in 1953. Max's artistic career blossomed in the late 1960s, visualizing the era's soundtrack and capturing a spirit of post-war optimism. His iconic "Be In" poster helped inspire the Summer of Love, and his "Cosmic Jumper" character was featured on a 1974 postage stamp.
Max's career spanned decades, with his colorful designs licensed for numerous consumer goods and even used for "Welcome to the U.S." border signs revived by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. He was often associated with the Beatles' music, though his art was distinct from their "Yellow Submarine" film. Max's "The Universe of Peter Max" chronicled his life and influences.
