Peter Max attends Gotham Magazine Celebrates its Summer Issue with Peter Max and The Humane Society of the United States at Loews Regency Hotel on June 25, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images for Gotham Magazine)
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Pop artist Peter Max, whose kaleidoscopic, cosmic-themed imagery helped define the visual language of the 1960s counterculture, died at 88.
What we know:
A spokesperson for the family said Max died in Manhattan, after a long illness. His vibrant surreal works of starbursts, floating peace signs, rainbow-washed skylines and psychedelic portraits became synonymous with the era’s youth movement and turned him into one of the country’s most commercially successful artists.
The backstory:
Born in Berlin in 1937, Max lived in China and Israel before settling in New York City, where he studied realism in art school and later launched a design studio. His signature style, influenced by astronomy and Eastern philosophy, appeared on everything from album covers to airliners, cruise ships, clothing, home decor and corporate branding. At his peak, he licensed his work for roughly 70 products.
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Max also painted rock icons including the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Mick Jagger, and counted former President Ronald Reagan among his admirers. He also created portraits of former President Bill Clinton, whose college dorm room walls were once lined with Max’s work.
What they’re saying:
Max is survived by his daughter, Libra, and son, Adam. In a statement, Libra said her father was her “best friend” and hoped he would be remembered not only for his artistic legacy but for “his kindness, his gentleness and how much he genuinely cherished putting joy into the world.”
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