Peter Max: The Retrospective is coming to Houston’s Off the Wall Gallery on August 20 and is slated to run until the beginning of September. Curated by Lesley Smith, the exhibit spans from 1960 to 2021 and will include over 100 pieces of Max's best-known works.

The artist was prominent during the 1960s and 70s and his work has been collected widely. From magazine covers to commercial planes for Continental Airlines to cruise ships for Norwegian, his psychedelic paintings have inspired art lovers all over the world. 

Born in Berlin in 1937, Max and his parents fled Germany to escape persecution by the Nazi state. The family settled in Shanghai, China for ten years where the artist was first introduced to the vibrant colors that have become a trademark in his work. The family traveled extensively, which exposed Max to a myriad of artistic and cultural expressions. By 1968, he was living and working in New York amongst iconic artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichenstein. 

Today, Max is known for his use of vibrant colors, his love for American culture and his kaleidoscopic portraits of some of music’s most popular acts including Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Gwen Stefani and Taylor Swift. In 2003, he was named the Official Artist of the Grammy Awards and later became the Official Artist of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. Although he was never fully interested in making museum-quality work, Max has gained acclaim in the commercial realm.

Despite the mound of controversy surrounding his work, 83-year-old Max remains one of America’s most iconic visual artists continuing the legacy of Pop art. 

Peter Max: The Retrospective is on view from August 20-September 6, 2021. For more information, visit here.