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Psychedelic Pop Artist Peter Max Dies at 88
Peter Max, the influential artist whose colorful, psychedelic artwork helped define the visual style of the 1960s, has died at 88.
Max died Monday, according to a statement from his son, Adam Max. His family did not disclose a cause of death. The Associated Press reported that Max had been suffering from advanced dementia.
Born Peter Max Finkelstein in Berlin in 1937, Max's family fled Nazi Germany when he was a baby. The family lived in Shanghai and later spent time in Tibet, Israel and Paris before settling in New York City when Max was 16.
Max began his career as a graphic designer in the 1960s. His distinctive use of bright colors, flowers, cosmic imagery and swirling designs quickly gained attention and became closely associated with the era's "flower power" movement.
His work soon appeared throughout American popular culture, including on posters, household products and major commercial projects.
Max eventually became the official artist for major events including the Olympics, Super Bowl, Indianapolis 500, World Cup and World Series. His artwork was also featured on a Boeing 777 aircraft and a Norwegian Cruise Line ship.
His career also included work connected to television. In the 1980s, Max designed an MTV logo, and in the 1990s he was among the artists commissioned to create a variation of the NBC peacock.
Max later created artwork featuring cows for the TODAY show plaza as part of an effort to raise money to fight colon cancer.
His work extended to numerous other projects, including a rainbow-colored race car for Dale Earnhardt and portraits of public figures, including Taylor Swift.
Beyond the commercial success, Max also returned to fine art after becoming concerned that his designs had become so widely licensed that he was spending less time painting. One of his major projects was a series of Statue of Liberty portraits created at the White House in 1981 at the invitation of first lady Nancy Reagan.
His work was eventually exhibited in museums around the world. The Museum of Modern Art in New York owns seven of his works, according to the Associated Press.
Max's son remembered him not only for his artwork but also for his personality.
"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 announcing his father's death.
Max is survived by his son, Adam, and daughter, Libra Astro.
His daughter told NBC News that she hopes her father will be remembered not only for his artistic legacy, but also for his kindness, gentleness and the joy he brought to others.
Peter Max's work helped establish a visual language that remains closely associated with the optimism and counterculture of the 1960s, while his art continued appearing in American culture for decades afterward.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
September 17, 2026
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