 Art
to the Max
With
paintings and exhibitions in hundreds of museums and galleries worldwide,
Peter Max and his vibrant colors have become part of the fabric
of contemporary culture. He has been called a Pop Icon and even
the United States’ “Painter Laureate.”
A
recent phone interview with the artist revealed a tiny glimpse into
his life and body of work throughout the decades. A charmed life,
to be sure, and just as enchanting and fairy-tale like as his art.
He was born to European parents with a case of wanderlust and spent
his early years in Shanghai, China. At age 10, Peter and his parents
traveled to a Tibetan camp at the foothills of the Himalayas. After
that, the family left on another voyage of discovery – this
time around India, Africa and Israel, where Peter studied art with
a Viennese fauve painter. It was also  here
where he developed a love for astronomy, which is pervasive in a
majority of his work, most notable with whom he likes to call “the
cosmic jumper” (as seen on our custom cover). He has lived
in such diverse conditions such as a pagoda-style house, a Sikh
temple and Viennese café. He adds, “…living in
China, the temples and monks, sampans… the most fabulous people
on planet earth, and I thought as a young kid, that every kid grew
up in China…”
Speaking
with Peter Max over the phone is like viewing a slide show. Ever
an artist, he peppers his conversation with images - snapshots,
if you will, of his history, his work, his colorful life. He sounded
to me like an energetic 50-year-old, which is years away from his
actual age.
Of
the fairly controversial Heinz Edelmann versus Peter Max debate,
he has this to say, “From the early days, when I used to be
very good friends with Beatles, I helped John Lennon style
the Yellow Submarine.” Though Edelmann is officially credited
as the artist for that Beatles’ project, it is still Peter
Max’s name that comes to mind first when speaking of that
particular “cosmic
‘60’s art” style; even sometimes referred to as
“Peter Max-style” of art. Although, quite the contrarian,
he says “Music is my first love, because art is so much a
part of me.”
Aside
from his art, his next project will tackle film and music. Though
he has already done a few short films, he has plans to do an animated
movie in the next five years. Perhaps even two or three, but then,
no surprise, he says, “The music will have to be assembled
first.”
He
then spoke at length about the history behind his annual ‘Statue
of Liberty’ unveilings, as well as his involvement with the
lady’s restoration project and centennial celebration in 1986.
The idea started 30 years ago, when he used to paint the tall ships
on the Hudson River, which was his daily view from his studio. One
4th of July day, he decided to paint the Statue of Liberty instead
and thereafter, decided to do it on an annual basis. The biggest
feedback he received came on his sixth year of painting ‘the
liberty,’ when he got a call, only days away from July 4,
1981, from none other than then-First Lady Nancy Reagan, who invited
him to the White House to paint there. Which he did, to a crowd
of about 2,000 people and a special visit from President Reagan
himself, who contributed a brushstroke to one of the six canvases.
The
fateful day happened only a couple of days after his White House
invitation, when he was approached by a professor at one of the
universities who raised an impassioned plea to restore and save
the Statue of Liberty before it turns 100. After a couple of fits
and starts – not knowing where to even begin tackling a project
as grand as this – he saw Lee Ia-cocca being interviewed on
television  and
a lightbulb went off in his head. This he realized, was the ‘private
sector’ that could help him raise money
for the project. Calling in his markers with old friends in the
advertising industry, he was able to
wrangle
a meeting with Ia-cocca himself, who was so instantly committed
to the project, that with
three phone calls, he was able to raise 3 million in just three
minutes.
Peter
Max will unveil a six-foot tall 2007 “Statue of Liberty”
portrait during his two-day exhibition here. David Hakan, President
and CEO of the gallery, which hosts the largest collection of Peter
Max paintings for sale in one room, adds, “The paintings now
appear to come alive in an amazing dimension of color that is unmistakably
Peter Max.”
Unmistakable,
indeed.
-Rachel
M. Sugay
The
Art of Peter Max Gallery
Forum Shops, Terrace Level, Caesars Palace, 3500 Las Vegas Boulevard.
644-7070. Meet the artist, November 23-24, 2007. Friday, 7-9 p.m.
and Saturday, 1-4 p.m. For any painting purchased throughout the
month of November, Max will inscribe a priceless dedication and
drawing. The event is free and open to the public.
|
