In 2010, Emma Rivers Tamburlini publicly came forward to demand that NYU remove the footage from their archives and return it to her and her sister. Tamburlini explicitly detailed the psychological toll the project took on her childhood:
Growing (1981) is a continuation of Rivers' obsession with the passing of time and family vulnerability. Following his earlier, highly controversial video works like Telling Conversations and The Boston Eagle , Growing focuses heavily on the concept of maturation, physical aging, and changing relationships within his immediate circle. Themes and Structure
She flatly characterized the project not as art, but as child pornography. The Institutional Response
It is crucial to state that Larry Rivers' 1981 documentary "Growing" is not commercially available for download or public streaming on any major platform (such as Amazon Prime, YouTube, or Vimeo). This is for several reasons: the profound ethical controversy surrounding the film, its likely legal status as potential child pornography, and the active opposition of Rivers' daughter, Emma, who has demanded its suppression. The footage reportedly resides within the larger Larry Rivers archive now housed at New York University, but it is not accessible to the general public. Given the subject matter, it is highly likely that this film will never be released. Therefore, there are no legitimate download links for the 1981 film "Growing," and users are strongly advised to be aware of this fact. --- Documentary Growing 1981 Larry Rivers LINK Download
Released or compiled around 1981, Growing is not a polished, commercial Hollywood biopic. Instead, it belongs to the tradition of "video diaries" or avant-garde video art that emerged with the commercial availability of Sony Portapak systems and consumer tape formats.
This comprehensive analysis explores the history of Larry Rivers' Growing , the intense ethical controversy surrounding it, and why the footage remains permanently sealed from public access. What is the 1981 Film Growing ?
: When the Larry Rivers Foundation attempted to donate the artist's archives to New York University (NYU), the university eventually declined to keep the "Growing" tapes. The decision was influenced by the sensitive nature of the material and concerns raised by the subjects involved. Family Objections In 2010, Emma Rivers Tamburlini publicly came forward
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.
Those interested in the history of the Larry Rivers Foundation or the legal discussions regarding the archive dispute can find detailed accounts in various academic and journalistic publications covering the 2010 archival controversy. N.Y.U. Doesn't Want Film of Larry Rivers's Naked Daughters
The debate that ensued cut to the very core of artistic ethics: when does an artist's freedom of expression end, and when does it become an act of exploitation or harm? Supporters of Rivers framed "Growing" as a transgressive work of art, an honest and provocative exploration of a taboo subject that was in keeping with his lifelong mission to challenge societal norms. But for Emma, and for many others, the artistic framing is irrelevant in the face of the lived experience of the subjects involved. As she starkly put it, "Perhaps, instead of seeing me as a rose among thorns, my father saw me as another thorn". Themes and Structure She flatly characterized the project
"Growing" is a 1981 documentary film directed by Larry Rivers, an American artist and filmmaker. The film explores the artist's personal journey as he travels through the United States, capturing the lives and experiences of people from diverse backgrounds.
In 1981, Rivers edited approximately five years of footage into a 45-minute film intended for exhibition. The Controversy