BETHEL, NY (March 26, 2018) – On April 7th, The Museum at Bethel Woods will open for the 2018 season, featuring a new Special Exhibit, Peter Max: Early Paintings. The exhibit will bring together for the first time the collections of Robert Casterline and Shelly Fireman for a Peter Max experience that should not be missed.
The art of Peter Max helped define the psychedelic 1960s, with its colorful imagery of gurus, sages, runners, flyers, Zen boats, snow-capped mountains, planets, stars, and sunbeams. With paintings on exhibition in hundreds of museums and galleries worldwide, Peter Max and his vibrant colors have become part of the fabric of contemporary culture. Max has been called a Pop Icon, Neo Fauvist, Abstract Expressionist and the United States “Painter Laureate.”
Peter Max has stayed in the public eye through five decades, but visitors to The Museum at Bethel Woods will have a rare opportunity to see inspiring artwork from a pivotal moment in the artist's illustrious career: the period from 1967 through 1972 when his work moved from nostalgic collage-inspired realistic paintings to his visionary, imaginative Cosmic creations.
The museum doors will open for the 2018 season at 10:00AM on Saturday, April 7. A private brunch and special exhibition preview is scheduled for Bethel Woods Members that morning, and the Special Exhibition will open to the general public at 11:30AM. Museum Director and Senior Curator, Wade Lawrence will conduct gallery walks of Peter Max: Early Paintings for the general public at 12:00PM, 2:00PM & 4:00PM on opening day.
On display through December 31st, Peter Max: Early Paintings is included in the regular museum admission. Special-exhibition-only admission is just $5.00.
In support of this year’s special exhibit, and in celebration of The Museum’s 10th anniversary, 12 regional artists will present Doors to Originality, a series of original Peter Max-inspired designs on vintage wooden doors. This outdoor installation, displayed throughout the Bethel Woods grounds, opens June 2, ten years to the day that The Museum at Bethel Woods opened its doors.
The Museum at Bethel Woods explores the social, political, cultural and musical transformations of the sixties while drawing connections to the issues that continue to affect our world today. It features an award-winning permanent collection, evolving exhibits and engaging programs. Visit bethelwoodscenter.org for more information and to plan your visit.
Museum Spring Hours:
April 7-April 29
Thursday-Sunday, 10:00am-5:00pm
Museum Summer Hours:
April 30-September 3
Open every day, 10:00am-7:00pm
Museum Early Fall Hours:
September 4-October 8
Open every day, 10:00am-5:00pm
Museum Fall Hours:
October 9-December 23
Thursday-Sunday, 10:00am-5:00pm
(Home for the Holidays hours: December 26–31, open every day, 10am–5pm)
NOTE: Please call ahead to verify museum hours on concert days. Access to the grounds is closed on Pavilion concert days. The Monument continues to be open to visitors seven days a week, all year long via West Shore Road. The Museum will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve day, and Christmas Day.
###
About Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts inspires, educates, and empowers individuals through the arts and humanities by presenting a diverse selection of culturally-rich performances, popular artists, and community and educational programming. Located 90 miles from New York City at the site of the 1969 Woodstock festival in Bethel, NY, the lush 800-acre campus includes a Pavilion Stage amphitheater with seating for 15,000, an intimate 440-seat indoor Event Gallery, the award-winning Museum at Bethel Woods, and a Conservatory for arts education programming.
Through the in-depth study and exhibition of the social, political, and cultural events of the 1960s, as well as the preservation of the historic site of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, Bethel Woods educates individuals about the issues and lessons of the decade while inspiring a new generation to contribute positively to the world around them. The not-for-profit organization relies on the generous support of individuals, corporations, and foundations to develop and sustain programs that improve the quality of life in the region and beyond.
For more information please visit www.BethelWoodsCenter.org.
