Peter Max paints Obama 44 ways

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Shepard Fairey doesn’t have a monopoly on the turn-a-Barack-Obama-photo-into-art market. Longtime pop artist Peter Max has done Obama times 44, in honor of the 44th president. This large installation -- 15 feet wide and 6 feet tall -- incorporates two Obama photos painted 44 ways by Max in his familiar brightly colored, neo-impressionistic style.

The 71-year-old artist started his first Obama during last year’s primary election campaign, a Max spokesman said. He continued with the others from election night through the inauguration.

The full installation isn’t on display at the moment, but it made a public appearance on CBS’ ‘The Early Show’ (watch the video here). Some of the individual Obama portraits are traveling in Max’s ongoing exhibition tour, which is tentatively planned to stop in Los Angeles in June.

This isn’t Max’s first brush with presidents. He painted the poster for President Clinton’s inauguration (right). And his ‘Flag With Heart’ paintings of the American flag are in permanent installations in the Carter, Reagan and Bush presidential libraries.

-- Sherry Stern

Photos courtesy of the Peter Max Studio.