The Art of Peter Max is a gallery on the third floor of the Forum Shops at Caesars (in the new wing at the top of the spiral escalators) that sells Peter Max artwork exclusively.
Peter Max was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1937, but lived in Shanghai, China, till he was 10. He and his family traveled through Asia and Europe for several years, until they finally settled in the U.S. in 1953. Max studied art and practiced his craft from Manhattan to India to Japan, and by the time the ‘60s rolled around, he’d developed techniques — bold lines, day-glo colors, cosmic images, photo collages — that effectively captured the essence of the psychedelic era. It’s been said that what the Beatles were to music in the ‘60s, Peter Max was to art. He’s perhaps best known for his vivid representations of the Statue of Liberty and the American flag.
Today, Max is the preeminent Pop artist in America. His list of awards and honors and official designation fills pages. Most recently, he was named official artist for the 2006 US Olympic Team.
Max works in a variety of media, but it’s the oils and acrylics that continue to reflect the psychedelic style he pioneered 40 years ago. This is readily apparent with a visit to the gallery, the only one dedicated to Peter Max’s art in the U.S. It sells upwards of 150 works, everything from original paintings to mixed-media collages, drawings in charcoal, pencil, and pen, and limited-edition lithographs and prints. Prices range from $1,500 (for small collages) up to $100,000 (for a 12-foot-tall Statue of Liberty and the like). Max’s sailboat series is stunning, as are his flowers and angels; plan to pay upwards of $10,000 for such originals.
Max occasionally shows up at the Las Vegas gallery. His next appearances will be May 26-28. It's a good time to meet the artist, who'll sign his art and books for you. If you’re a fan of Peter Max, you can’t do better than to take in the "mini-museum" of his work at the Forum Shops in Las Vegas.
All pictures kindly supplied by the artist. © Peter Max 2006.
