The Art Of Peter Max

The Art Of Peter Max

Iconic artist Peter Max was born Peter Max Finkelstein in Berlin on October 19, 1937.

The German-born American illustrator and graphic artist is best known for his use of psychedelic shapes and wild color palettes.  He was also tied to the non-violent Flower Power moment in the 1960s.

His psychedelic designs appeared first on posters which were wildly popular with college students in America.  He was also known for his work with spectrums of lights and colors.

The Art Of Peter Max Hardback Book By Charles A. Riley II

In the 2002 book, The Art Of Peter Max (ISBN 0-8109-3270-9.) by Charles A. Riley II, published by Abrams, New York, the colorful and comic art of Peter Max is showcased.

Riley explains how Max first became popular in the 1960s and how the artist was tied to the non-violent Flower Power moment, the Hippie counter culture and the psychedelic movement during the period extending into the early 1970s.

Although his art first became popular during the 1960s his art has endured for more than three decades and is still popular in current times.

In Riley's very comprehensive {{asin=0810932709,text=book}} about Peter Max, 350 color images illustrate the artist's life and prolific career.

The Art Of Peter Max Featured On 1969 Life Magazine Cover

Max also was famous for his work with four-color reproduction on product merchandise.  He was wildly successful with a line of art clocks for General Electric.

His art work was licensed by 72 different corporations.  In September of 1969 he appeared on the cover of Life Magazine with an eight-page feature article.  He also appeared on the iconic Johnny Carson and Ed Sullivan shows.

His trademark posters have achieved international popularity.

From being named Official Artist of the Grammy Awards for five successive years to painting a Continental Airlines 777 plane, Max's projects always garner enormous media attention.

Yellow Submarine Controversy

His work was both influenced by, as well as widely imitated by, others in the field of commercial illustration, such as Heinz Edelmann.

Peter Max' repeated claims, varying in detail, to have worked on "Yellow Submarine" has been denied by the production team.

Max works in multiple media including painting, drawing, etchings (including aquatint), collage, print making, sculpture, video and digital imagery.

He also includes "mass media" as being another "canvas" for his creative expression.

Use Of Patriotic American Icons

Max often uses patriotic American icons and symbols in his artwork. He has created paintings of presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush addition to his 100 Clintons,—a multiple portrait installation.

His work often features images of celebrities, politicians, athletes and sporting events and other pop culture subjects.

For more information on The Art Of Peter Max check out the 2002 hardback book by Charles A. Riley, II published in 2002.

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