Documentary Growing 1981 Larry Rivers Download Here

In the landscape of American art, Larry Rivers (1923–2002) occupies a unique, boundary-pushing position. A painter, sculptor, filmmaker, and musician, Rivers was a pivotal figure in the transition from Abstract Expressionism to Pop Art. While his canvases, such as Washington Crossing the Delaware, are widely celebrated, his forays into experimental cinema are lesser-known treasures. Among these is his 1981 documentary, Growing, a film that stands as a curious, poetic, and deeply personal meditation on creation, decay, and the passage of time.

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In the ecosystem of modern entertainment, the line between "high art" and "trending content" is not just blurring—it is being aggressively redrawn. At the center of this shift is a phenomenon that defies the traditional documentary arc: the story of Larry Rivers.

While the name might evoke the mid-century pop art pioneer for historians, the current documentary project surrounding Rivers is tapping into something far more immediate. It is a raw, unfiltered look at the intersection of legacy, chaos, and the digital gaze, making it one of the most unexpected trending properties of the season.

As this is a somewhat obscure avant-garde film from 1981, it is not widely available on mainstream streaming platforms (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime). It occasionally surfaces on platforms like Kanopy (free with a library card) or is sold by specialty art-house distributors.

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The keyword "Documentary Growing 1981" distinguishes this artifact from countless other films with the same verb in their title. This specific documentary, directed by John Schott (with heavy collaboration from Rivers himself), was a landmark of metafictional biography.

If you’re interested in Larry Rivers’ work in film or documentary, I can also offer a general template for a paper on his 1981 documentary Growing, which you would need to research and fill in yourself.

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Growing (1981) — Larry Rivers: Essay

Growing (1981) is a short documentary film centered on the artist Larry Rivers (1923–2002), an influential and often controversial figure in postwar American art. The film captures Rivers during a period when his career spanned decades of stylistic shifts, public debates, and evolving critical reputations. This essay examines Rivers’s artistic identity, the documentary’s approach and themes, and the film’s value for viewers today.

Larry Rivers: context and artistic identity

Documentary approach and themes

Form and style

Value and limitations

Conclusion Growing (1981) functions both as an accessible introduction to Larry Rivers and as an evocative study of an artist still “growing” late in life. Its strengths lie in its attention to process, its willingness to present Rivers’s own voice, and its capacity to situate an idiosyncratic figure within broader art-historical currents. The film invites viewers to consider how artistic identity evolves and to appreciate the material, dialogic nature of painting as a lived practice. Documentary Growing 1981 Larry Rivers Download

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The keyword "Documentary Growing 1981 Larry Rivers Download" refers to a highly controversial video project titled Growing, created by the American artist Larry Rivers. Completed in 1981, the film is an intimate—and many argue exploitative—chronicle of his two daughters as they aged from childhood through puberty. The Context of Growing (1981)

From 1976 to 1981, Larry Rivers used a video camera to record his daughters, Emma and Gwynne, at six-month intervals. The project, which he ultimately edited into a 45-minute film in 1981, focused on the physical changes in their bodies.

The Concept: Rivers intended the work to be a "biological documentary," recording the irreversible progression of existence.

The Content: The footage includes scenes where Rivers instructs his daughters to remove their clothes so he can film their developing bodies, often asking invasive questions about their physical growth and social lives.

The Controversy: One daughter, Gwynne Tamburlini, later described the experience as deeply uncomfortable, stating it contributed to her developing an eating disorder as a teenager. Legal and Ethical Battles

While Rivers originally planned to showcase Growing as part of a 1981 exhibition, the girls' mother, Clarice Rivers, intervened to stop the public screening. The film remained largely out of the public eye until a major controversy erupted in 2010.

The NYU Incident: In 2010, New York University (NYU) acquired the Larry Rivers archive. When the nature of the Growing tapes became clear, the university faced significant backlash. In the landscape of American art, Larry Rivers

Return of Materials: Following demands from Rivers' daughters, NYU eventually returned the original tapes to the family, acknowledging that the content was "problematic" and potentially harmful. Where to "Download" or Watch

Due to the private and sensitive nature of the footage, as well as the successful legal efforts by Rivers' daughters to reclaim the tapes, the 1981 documentary Growing is not legally available for public download, streaming, or purchase.

If you are interested in Rivers' legitimate cinematic and artistic contributions, you can find other documentaries and archival materials through authorized channels:

Art/New York No. 37: A documentary titled Larry Rivers: An American Master is available through educational distributors like Inner-Video and provides a comprehensive look at his career as a painter and jazz musician.

Vimeo On Demand: You can watch the documentary Larry Rivers (part of the ART/new york series) on Vimeo, which features the artist at work in his studio.

Larry Rivers Foundation: The official Larry Rivers Foundation website maintains a list of his films, including his roles in underground classics like Pull My Daisy and his documentary work in Africa.

Based on the title provided, "Documentary Growing 1981 Larry Rivers Download" refers to the film "Growing Up in America" (sometimes referred to simply as "Growing" in file-sharing circles).

Here is a review of the film, along with important context regarding the title and the artist. Let me know how I can best assist

In 2024/2025, there is a revival of interest in "bad painting" and the macho angst of mid-century artists. Growing offers a primary source document of a world without social media, where an artist’s reputation was built on public tantrums and private genius.