Peter Max
This postage stamp commemorates the World’s Fair in Spokane, Washington.
Research
Born in Berlin in 1937, German-American artist, Peter Max, grew up a world traveller. He lived in China, Israel, France, and eventually settled in New York. There he studied at the Art Students League, Pratt Institute, and the School of Visual Arts. In 1962, Max and Tom Daly started an arts studio, “The Daly & Max Studio.” Throughout the 1960s, Max was creating characteristic paintings and graphic prints. He became a visionary pop artist and master of dynamic neo Expressionism. His “Cosmic ’60s” style is a bold linear painting style employing Fauvist colours and transcendental themes. As a passionate environmentalist and human and animal rights defender, his art would often be dedicated to noteworthy causes. One of his most important commissions was creating the first “Preserve the Environment” Postage Stamp. Max has painted for President Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton. Peter Max is a dynamic artist who is bold with colour, symbolism, and multiple media. Unfortunately, today his struggle with Dementia has stopped him from painting.
Opinion
I love the playfulness in Peter Max’s work. The colours are so vibrant and bold and tell a story of their own. His diversity in styles and media is also admirable. I really feel like I have stepped into Max’s imagination when I view his art, which totally captures the Psychedelic style. This magazine cover is one of my favourite works of his, because it emanates the Psychedelic style, while staying clean and modern; something I want to achieve in my 1960s album cover.
Image Credit:
Image 1: https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2010/07/peter-marx-excerpt-201007
Image 2-5: https://www.invaluable.com/blog/peter-max-art/
Image 6: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Max
Sources:
Chozick, Amy. “Dementia Stopped Peter Max From Painting. For Some, That Spelled a Lucrative Opportunity.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 28 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/28/business/peter-max-dementia-cruise-ship-auctions.html.
Lane, Randall, and Photography by Todd Eberle. “When Go-Go Met Day-Glo.” Vanity Fair, www.vanityfair.com/culture/2010/07/peter-marx-excerpt-201007.
“Peter Max.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Dec. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Max.
“Peter Max Art For Sale – Paintings, Posters & More.” RoGallery, www.rogallery.com/artists/peter-max/?page=3.
“Peter Max: Champion of Pop and Psychedelic Art.” Invaluable, 30 Jan. 2019, www.invaluable.com/blog/peter-max-art/.
“Top 10 Things You Should Know About Peter Max.” Lofty Blog | The Trusted Marketplace, 19 June 2015, blog.lofty.com/top-10/top-10-things-you-should-know-about-peter-max/.