If you are interested in researching this topic further, I can help by finding: An official film archive that holds this documentary. A detailed list of Larry Rivers' major artworks from 1981. Other documentaries that explore the Pop Art movement.
The article also gave voice to Rivers’ daughters, who by then were middle-aged women dealing with severe psychological trauma. Emma Tamburlini, one of the daughters featured in the film, reported that she had suffered from anorexia since the age of sixteen, directly attributing her eating disorder to the exploitation she experienced at her father's hands. Her sister Gwynne struggled with bulimia.
Where to Legitimately Find Larry Rivers Film and Video Material
Based on reviews from the time (notably from The Village Voice and Artforum ) and scant archival descriptions, Growing follows Rivers as he installs a massive outdoor sculpture garden at the in New Jersey—a site-specific project involving 12 bronze figures depicting athletes, dancers, and bathers in various states of motion and repose.
The history of the 1981 project Growing , the intense debate over the boundary between artistic freedom and child exploitation, and the current legal status of the footage explain why it remains strictly locked away from the public domain. What is the 1981 Growing Project? --- Documentary Growing 1981 Larry Rivers LINK Download
Rivers is often discussed as the missing link between the emotional 1950s art and the commercial 1960s Pop Art (Warhol, Lichtenstein).
The story of "Growing" is not one of artistic discovery; it is a tragedy. It is the story of two young girls, Emma and Gwynne, who were used as canvases for their father's obsession. The film does not document "growing up"—it documents exploitation.
He instructed them to appear naked or topless while he filmed their developing bodies, explicitly commenting on and asking questions about their breasts and genitals.
Rivers filmed his daughters at strict six-month intervals. If you are interested in researching this topic
However, his wife Clarice disagreed. Disgusted and horrified by the result, Clarice refused to allow the film to be shown publicly. The film was locked away in archival storage for decades.
⚠️ Be cautious with unofficial "download links" found on third-party sites, as they often contain malware. Stick to verified educational or art-house archives. If you’d like, I can help you find: A detailed biography of Larry Rivers’ art career Other documentaries about the 1960s/80s Pop Art scene
One of Rivers' daughters, Emma Tamburlini, has publicly condemned the films, describing them as "child pornography" and noting that the filming process contributed to her developing an eating disorder. Legal & Institutional Disputes: In 2010, the Larry Rivers Foundation attempted to donate the series to New York University (NYU)
Links matching this keyword string are typical examples of search engine optimization (SEO) bait deployed by malicious entities. Clicking these links will routinely direct users to adware, phishing portals, or malware downloads disguised as media files. The article also gave voice to Rivers’ daughters,
Released or compiled around 1981, Growing is a video documentary that focuses heavily on Rivers' own family, specifically tracking the physical, emotional, and psychological development of his daughters, Gwynne and Emma. 1. A Relentless Family Archive
Emma did not just speak out; she acted. In a desperate bid to bury the past, Emma stole a copy of the film "Growing" and presented it to Emily Logue, an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan, in an attempt to have it legally declared obscene or child pornography.
Rivers himself, in an essay on for a 1985 book called Scopophilia: The Love of Looking , wrote: "I never really got what I wanted for this tape, which is the meaning of breasts in a girl's life. Maybe they just couldn't verbalize what they felt, or maybe they didn't even realize what I was attempting to accomplish. They were innocent. I couldn't pierce that".
The production of the documentary spanned several years, intended to document the transition from childhood to adulthood. However, the project became a subject of significant legal and ethical debate shortly after its completion. The mother of the subjects successfully blocked its public release in 1981, citing privacy concerns and the sensitive nature of the footage.