NYU returned the footage to the foundation following the public outcry, and it remains locked in private archives with strict access restrictions.
The 1981 documentary series Larry Rivers is not available for public download or viewing due to severe legal and ethical controversies. The series consists of private videos Rivers filmed of his young daughters, which have since been withdrawn from public archives and restricted following allegations of child pornography and emotional abuse by the subjects themselves The New York Times Status and Availability Public Access: No legal digital download or streaming service hosts Archival Withdrawal: New York University (NYU)
"Growing" is not available for public download, streaming, or purchase on standard commercial platforms like Vimeo On Demand While snippets of Rivers's video work, such as , can sometimes be found in archives like the Media Burn Archive , the "Growing" series remains restricted by the Larry Rivers Foundation Alternative Viewings: documentary growing 1981 larry rivers download updated
However, in the last 18 months, a renewed interest has surged. Collectors, art students, and Rivers’ cult following are searching for the same phrase:
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ THE ARCHIVAL TIMELINE OF "GROWING" │ ├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 1981: Larry Rivers completes the 5-year project. │ ├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ 2002: Rivers passes away; his Foundation takes over. │ ├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ 2010: NYU acquires the Larry Rivers Archive. │ ├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ 2010: Daughters protest; NYU returns "Growing" tapes. │ ├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Present: Permanently locked in the private Foundation. │ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ NYU returned the footage to the foundation following
The 2023 documentary, is the definitive modern source. It provides the history, the fallout, the legal battles, and the human cost behind the camera. It is a powerful testament to how we must now view such controversial works—not as isolated artifacts, but as events with real victims and lasting consequences. The search for Growing itself will likely end in a dead end. But the search for its meaning, and its important cautionary tale, is more accessible than ever.
Rivers' ex-wife, Clarice, originally blocked the public screening in the early 1980s. The footage remained largely hidden until 2010, when New York University (NYU) refused to accept it as part of his archive, sparking a massive debate over where "art" ends and exploitation begins. Critical Review & Perspectives Collectors, art students, and Rivers’ cult following are
It offers an unfiltered, sometimes uncomfortably intimate look at the relationship between a bohemian artist father and his maturing daughters.
The original materials remain with the Larry Rivers Foundation . Where to Watch or Find Information
Beyond his artistic influence, Rivers cultivated a "bad boy" persona. He was a provocateur known for his hypersexual private life, his drug use (he played saxophone and shot heroin with jazz legends Charlie Parker and Miles Davis), and his relentless desire to shock the establishment. As the title of a 2023 documentary about him suggests, he was very much . This unflinching, "anything goes" attitude would directly inform the creation of his most personal and damaging work.