The primary preservation copies of Larry Rivers' video works are held by institutions like the Larry Rivers Foundation , the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) , and the Smithsonian Archives of American Art . These institutions occasionally digitize works for scholarly access.
As the details of Growing became public via investigative profiles in major outlets like Vanity Fair and The New York Times , NYU faced massive legal and ethical liabilities. Fearing that housing or indexing the footage violated modern federal and state child exploitation laws, NYU formally rejected the tapes. The university returned the Growing series and its associated raw footage directly to the Larry Rivers Foundation.
Growing (1981) remains a vital piece of the puzzle that was Larry Rivers. It proves that he was not just a painter who captured a moment in time, but a multimedia pioneer who predicted our modern obsession with documenting everyday life. By turning the camera on himself and his immediate world, Rivers created a moving canvas that continues to fascinate those lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it.
The 1981 documentary titled by the American Pop artist Larry Rivers is a controversial and largely suppressed 45-minute film. The Art | Crime Archive Documentary Overview Production : Filmed between 1976 and 1981 , Rivers documented his two adolescent daughters, Emma and Gwynne , at six-month intervals. --- Documentary Growing 1981 Larry Rivers LINK Download
Larry Rivers, the godfather of Pop Art and a jazz saxophonist, is having a digital renaissance. A specific clip from a documentary (often titled or tagged in relation to his work "Growing" or his candid lifestyle) has been trending on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. The appeal lies in the sheer, unadulterated charisma of Rivers. In an era of curated, PR-trained celebrities, Rivers represents a dying breed: the chaotic, unapologetic, bohemian artist.
For modern film historians, art collectors, and digital archivists, locating a legitimate or stream this elusive 1981 documentary provides a rare, unvarnished glimpse into the private life and creative process of one of America's most provocative artists. Who Was Larry Rivers?
For now, there is no official available legally. But that may change. Write to the Larry Rivers Foundation. Contact MoMA. Ask your local university library. In the meantime, explore Rivers’ other films (e.g., A Short History of the American Negro (1965) or The Ivory Coast (1989)), which are more accessible. The primary preservation copies of Larry Rivers' video
Due to its nature as an art documentary from the early 1980s, accessing Growing might require utilizing film archives or specialized educational platforms. Those interested in studying the film often search for archival footage or digital links that provide access to his creative process.
New York University Returns Films of Larry Rivers's Children 19 Jul 2010 —
If you are researching Larry Rivers’ complex legacy, his impact on Pop Art, or the controversies surrounding his personal life, there are legally accessible documentaries that cover these topics without distributing restricted footage. Fearing that housing or indexing the footage violated
Rivers’ studio was notoriously chaotic, a reflection of his energetic, sometimes frantic approach to painting. The documentary showcases this, allowing viewers to see the mess, the intensity, and the focused energy that went into creating his large-scale works. 3. Subject Matter: History and Personal Life
Larry Rivers was a towering, complex figure in 20th-century art. The 1981 documentary "Growing" remains an essential visual document, offering a glimpse into the mind of a creator who refused to be confined to a single style.