Peter Max Paints America by Max, Peter and Zurbel, Victor (Editor) - 1976

Washington DC: Acropolis Books, Ltd, 1976. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Padded Hardcover. Very good. Peter Max. Unpaginated. Illustrated endpapers. Profusely illustrated (many in color). This includes a laid in Season's Greetings holiday card with printed text indicating it was from Peter Max. Card was addressed to a staff member on the Joint Economic Committee of Congress. Paintings, drawings, seriographs, and collages record Max's impressions of the qualities and features of each of the fifty states. Peter Max Paints America is based on works of art commissioned by ASEA on the 200th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, in sincere recognition of the historic bonds of friendship between the people of Sweden and the people of the United States, recalling that Sweden was one of the first countries to extent its hand in friendship to the new nation. Peter Max (born Peter Max Finkelstein, October 19, 1937) is a German-American artist known for using bright colors in his work. Works by Max are associated with the visual arts and culture of the 1960s, particularly psychedelic art and pop art. On July 4, 1976, Max began his Statue of Liberty series leading to his efforts with Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca to help in the restoration of the statue. Also in 1976, "Peter Max Paints America" was commissioned by the ASEA of Sweden. The book project commemorated the United States Bicentennial. Max's art work was first associated with the counter culture, neo-expressionism, and psychedelic movements in graphic design during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He is known for using bursts of color, often containing much or all of the visible spectrum. His work was influenced by others. Max works in multiple media including painting, drawing, etchings (including aquatint), collage, print making, sculpture, video and digital imagery. He also includes "mass media" as being another "canvas" for his creative expression. Max often uses American icons and symbols in his artwork. Max studied at the Art Students League of New York, later becoming involved with psychedelic movement in the 1960s, creating a number of posters for bands of the time. Though he is an outspoken political activist and environmentalist, Max has also produced designs for the ad campaigns of several high-profile brands, including 7-Up and Chrysler. The artist's works are included in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Victor Zurbel was the Creative Director for Peter Max Studio, and worked with the artist for about half a century.