EXPLOITING A LEGEND

Son Exploiting Dementia-Gripped Peter Max to Churn Out ‘New’ Works: Report

Dementia has reportedly stopped the Pop Art star from painting, but a business run by his son has dramatically increased its output of his works.

Peter Max’s estranged son is accused of rapidly increasing production of artwork he claims was made by his famous father, even though the Pop Art icon is gripped by dementia and can hardly paint, The New York Times reports. Max, 81, hasn’t pained seriously in four years, according to the newspaper’s sources, and his mental condition is said to have deteriorated to the extent that he doesn’t know what year it is. Despite that, a lawsuit has alleged that a team of “ghost painters” has created recent pieces being sold at extortionate prices, and that “the extent of Mr. Max’s involvement with these paintings is limited to merely signing his name on the artwork when it’s completed.” The suspect works are being aggressively sold on cruise ships around the world, according to the Times. The newspaper encountered Max for an intended interview, but found him too confused to take part.