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Peter Max Dies at 88
Iconic pop artist Peter Max, known for flower power art, dies at 88.
In brief
Iconic pop artist Peter Max, known for flower power art, dies at 88. Peter Max, the pop artist who spearheaded the 1960s flower power movement, died at 88. Originally reported by Page Six.
Peter Max dies at 88
Peter Max, whose colorful, psychedelic pop art expressed the optimism of the 'flower power' movement of the 1960s and graced everything from postage stamps to a cruise ship, has died at 88, his son said in a written statement Wednesday.
Died Monday with dementia
Max died on Monday, the statement said. No cause was given, but he had been suffering from advanced dementia.
Flower power artist
Max began his career in graphic design in the 1960s, and his swirly, colorful, instantly recognizable designs epitomized the era’s 'flower power' art.
Enduring popularity
But thanks to his prolific output and fun, accessible style, Max’s work remained popular well into the 21st century.
Olympics and Super Bowl artist
Max was the official artist for the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the Indianapolis 500, the World Cup, the World Series and many other events.
Art on Boeing 777
His art appeared on a Boeing 777 airplane and a Norwegian Cruise Line ship.
Portrait subjects
His portrait subjects ranged from U.S. presidents to Taylor Swift.
Dorm room posters
But in his first flush of success in the late 1960s and early 1970s, his mural-like tableaus of flowers, the cosmos and cartoonish figures, all in vivid colors like turquoise, orange and neon green, seemed to be everywhere. Dorm room walls were plastered with his posters.
Life magazine cover
He even created covers for the Manhattan Yellow Pages, a business phone directory distributed to millions of people. Max himself was featured on the cover of Life magazine in 1969, his trademark dark, bushy mustache framing a hearty grin.
Son's statement
‘We will remember his extraordinary creativity, his warmth, his curiosity, and the way he saw beauty and possibility everywhere,’ his son Adam Max said in the statement announcing the death. ‘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.’
“We will remember his extraordinary creativity, his warmth, his curiosity, and the way he saw beauty and possibility everywhere”
What it means
Peter Max, the pop artist who spearheaded the 1960s flower power movement, died at 88.
