University art department archives frequently hold copies of artist documentaries for research purposes.
Do you need help finding that hold the original tapes?
For those interested in learning more about Rivers and the full context of "Growing," this is the definitive resource. "Bad Boy of the Art World" was screened at film festivals, including at the Sag Harbor Cinema in 2023. At this time, the documentary has not had a wide public release on streaming services. For the most up-to-date information on availability, you should check the film's official website or major streaming databases. It remains, for now, a work in circulation primarily within the art house and academic film circuit.
Because of these complications, the film is not part of standard cinematic distributions:
Larry Rivers filmed his two daughters, Gwynne and Emma, at six-month intervals from 1976 to 1981 --- Documentary Growing 1981 Larry Rivers LINK Download
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.
What makes this review-worthy isn't just the art, but the personality.
Are you interested in learning about Larry Rivers' from that era? Share public link
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 University art department archives frequently hold copies of
Rivers gained notoriety in the 1950s for his iconoclastic approach to traditional imagery. His famous works, such as Washington Crossing the Delaware (1953), challenged the prevailing orthodoxy of Abstract Expressionism by reintroducing narrative and figurative elements, paving the very runway that Pop Art would later take off from. He was witty, rebellious, and deeply invested in documenting his immediate surroundings, which naturally led him to the medium of video tape in the late 1960s and 1970s. The 1981 Documentary: "Growing"
If you’re searching for a , please avoid pirate sites. The film is not widely circulating illegally either—its obscurity works against piracy. Instead, try these legitimate avenues:
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Follow or Icarus Films —they sometimes rescue lost art documentaries. Pressure them by expressing interest. "Bad Boy of the Art World" was screened
. Due to its disturbing nature and ongoing legal and ethical disputes,
Ultimately, the story of Larry Rivers' "Growing" is not a simple tale of artistic triumph or moral failure; it is a disturbing and unresolved question mark hanging over the legacy of one of America's most important post-war artists. It forces us to ask where the line is drawn between art and exploitation, between the role of the artist as an observer and the role of a father as a protector.
Platforms like UbuWeb (a renowned educational repository for avant-garde media) or university library networks (such as WorldCat) frequently host or direct users to digitized copies of 20th-century video art.
The university ultimately decided not to include the film or related materials in its collection. The family of the artist and the subjects involved have since been vocal about the ethical issues surrounding the film's production, leading to its continued status as a restricted and unreleased work.
You can find a list of his other film projects, including less controversial works like Africa and I Larry Rivers Foundation website or other documentaries from the 1980s art scene
If you are looking for a legitimate link to view or download the film, you should direct your search toward specialized digital archives: