Peter Max, artist who defined 1960s ‘flower power’, dies at 88

Peter Max, the artist whose vibrant psychedelic designs came to symbolise the optimism and “flower power” culture of the 1960s, has died at 88, his son said on Wednesday. Max died on Monday, according to a statement from his son Adam Max. No cause of death was given, although the artist had been suffering from advanced dementia. Max began his career in graphic design in the 1960s, developing a distinctive style marked by swirling patterns, vivid colours and whimsical images of flowers, stars and cartoon-like figures. His work became a defining visual feature of the era and remained widely popular for decades. His designs appeared on everything from posters, household furnishings and postage stamps to a Boeing 777 aircraft and a Norwegian Cruise Line ship. He also served as the official artist for major events including the Olympics, Super Bowl, Indianapolis 500, World Cup and World Series. His celebrity portrait subjects included US presidents and pop star Taylor Swift, while his work became so ubiquitous during his early years of fame that his designs appeared on mugs, bedsheets, clothing and other consumer products. Max was featured on the cover of Life magazine in 1969, with his trademark bushy dark moustache and broad smile. “We will remember his extraordinary creativity, his warmth, his curiosity, and the way he saw beauty and possibility everywhere, ” Adam Max said in the statement. “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. ” From Nazi Germany to New York Born Peter Max Finkelstein in Berlin in 1937, Max was the son of a Jewish family that fled Nazi Germany when he was a baby. The family moved to Shanghai and later lived in Tibet, Israel and Paris before settling in New York when Max was 16. He later recalled being fascinated by American comics, films and jazz music. Max studied at the Art Students League, the School of Visual Arts and Pratt Institute in New York. In 1961, he opened a graphic design studio with friends, and his bold style quickly attracted advertising agencies, publications and corporate clients. His commercial success grew rapidly, but Max eventually became uncomfortable with the extent to which his designs were being reproduced on consumer products. “My work was really, I would say, almost exploited, ” he once said, recalling that his designs appeared across dozens of product lines. He temporarily closed his commercial operation in the early 1970s to return his focus to painting. Among his notable later projects was a series of paintings of the Statue of Liberty, which he created at the White House in 1981 at the invitation of first lady Nancy Reagan. Max also faced legal and personal controversies during his later years. He pleaded guilty to tax fraud in 1997 after the Internal Revenue Service accused him of concealing more than $1 million in income from his artwork. He was required to pay back taxes and a $30, 000 fine and perform 800 hours of community service teaching art in Harlem schools. His family life also became the subject of a highly publicised legal dispute in 2015 involving his second wife, Mary Max, and his son Adam. The dispute involved allegations concerning Max’s finances, care and ownership of his artwork. Mary Max died by suicide in 2019, two weeks after The New York Times published a report detailing legal battles surrounding Max and his artwork. ‘I see everything through rainbow eyes’ Despite the controversies surrounding his personal life, Max’s artwork was known for its consistently bright and optimistic aesthetic. “The colours are strong, sometimes loud, sometimes raw and sometimes harmonious, but always powerful, ” he once said, adding that his images were focused on peace rather than negative themes. “I see everything through rainbow eyes, ” he said in another interview. Although some accounts of his career have suggested that the art establishment did not always take his work seriously, Max’s paintings were exhibited at museums around the world. The Museum of Modern Art in New York owns seven of his works. Max was sometimes incorrectly credited with the artwork for the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine. The album cover and film were officially designed by Heinz Edelmann. Max claimed he had created an early version of the design before passing it to Edelmann, while a longtime dealer of his work described his involvement as early consulting. Max was friends with the Beatles and other prominent figures and also had a strong interest in Eastern spirituality. He helped bring Swami Satchidananda Saraswati to the United States and played a role in popularising yoga in the country. Max’s first marriage, to Elizabeth Nance, ended in divorce. He is survived by his son Adam and daughter Libra Astro.

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