The Artist Peter Max
“MAX — Art Expo N.Y. 1981″ Fine Art Poster by Peter Max
One of the most iconic artists of the 20th and 21st centuries is Peter Max. Famous for his colorful, impressive paintings and commission works, Peter Max is an artist that every lover of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s can appreciate. His style ranges from realistic to pop to psychedelic, continuing to wow a worldwide audience.
Early Years
Peter Max was born in Germany in 1937. He and his parents escaped Hitler’s regime in 1938 to Shanghai, China, an already metropolitan city combining ancient China with jazz and other international imports. After a six-month stop at Paris, where Max took art lessons at the Louvre, his family settled in Brooklyn, New York, in 1953. In 1956, he attended the prestigious Art Students League and then the School of Visual Arts. In the early 1960s, he started an award-winning art studio with artist Tom Daly and an exhibition called “Bettmann Panopticon.”
The Summer of Love
By now, Max had long developed a love for both art and astronomy. The universe fascinated him. When he met Swami Satchidananda, a yoga master, in 1966, his passion for art and the cosmos delved into a spiritual dimension. The following year, his poster entitled “Be In” drew thousands of hippies to Central Park to create the historic “Summer of Love.” By the end of the 1960s, artist Peter Max had become a pop culture icon, a staple of 1960s art.
The Iconic 70s
Artist Peter Max’s iconic art proliferated throughout the 70s and beyond. He had his first solo museum exhibition in San Francisco, and his work featured in seventy-two product lines, such as wall clocks, dishware, shoes, the first environmental U.S. postage stamp, and much, much more. His memorable “Umbrella Man,” “Zero Megalopolis,” and “Sage with Cane” series were created during this decade. While he was not creating patriotic posters, memorable product lines, and famous poster series, he spent much time in isolation, painting.
Commissions Throughout the Decades
Max received many commissions throughout the 1980s and continued to work for decades following. He created works for Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Mikhail Gorbachov, and became the official artist for soccer’s World Cup USA and the artist for Woodstock. Other recent projects include painting Ringo Starr’s piano, the Breakaway Ship of Norwegian Cruise Lines, and the Boeing 777 superjet for Continental Airlines.
Contact Zimmerman Fine Art Today!
Since 1979 Zimmerman Editions Ltd. has worked closely with many internationally acclaimed artists to execute editions of their most unique images. Collaborating directly with the artists, Zimmerman Editions’ atelier has printed, fabricated, and published many special limited editions of fine art, including both prints and sculptures. All images have been faithfully produced to meet the artists’ most exacting requirements. Many of these high-quality art prints and objets d’art are represented in public and private collections around the world.
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