Because the film was rejected by academic institutions and suppressed by both the artist's family and legal boundaries,
Growing has never been given a public release. It does not stream on services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Kanopy. Unlike the 1972 documentary Larry Rivers , directed by Michael Blackwood, which is available to stream on Kanopy and details his artistic influence, Growing remains locked away in academic archives. It is not available for purchase on DVD or Blu-ray. Furthermore, it does not appear on public video-sharing platforms like YouTube or Vimeo. The footage is considered so sensitive that distribution is limited, if not impossible, to the general public. You cannot find "Larry Rivers Growing Vimeo" or a "Larry Rivers Growing YouTube" link, because the content is not accessible through those channels. Furthermore, the film is not available for download on torrent sites in the public domain.
[Larry Rivers' Archive] ──> Sent to NYU (2010) ──> Daughter Emma Protests ──> NYU Returns Tapes ──> Sealed Permanently
Emma, one of the daughters featured in the footage, has since spoken publicly about the distress caused by the project, describing it as an invasive experience that required long-term therapy to process. Archival History: Documentary Growing 1981 Larry Rivers Download
The film was never shown to the public. When Rivers initially completed the cut in 1981, the girls' mother, Clarice Rivers, stepped in and stopped the exhibition. The tapes were locked away in Rivers' private collection until after his death in 2002.
Rivers originally described the project as a "taboo-shattering" exploration of growth, dismissing his daughters' contemporary complaints as "middle class" and "uptight".
For further research for an academic paper or an article, additional information is available regarding or legal precedents regarding artist archives. Portrait of the Artist as Creep - Glasstire Because the film was rejected by academic institutions
: Following the public outcry and the family's pushback, New York University officially refused to accept the Growing tapes or any related raw footage as part of their archive acquisition. ⚠️ Warning Regarding "Download" Links
Because Growing is an academic and avant-garde piece rather than a blockbuster commercial film, major distribution networks rarely invest the capital required to host and market it digitally. Legitimate Ways to Access and Study Archival Art Films
: Between 1976 and 1981, American Pop artist Larry Rivers used video equipment to record his two adolescent daughters, Emma and Gwynne, at six-month intervals. He filmed them naked or topless while asking them invasive questions about their developing bodies and physical puberty. It is not available for purchase on DVD or Blu-ray
Tamburlini and her sister revealed that the bi-annual filming sessions caused deep psychological harm. Both sisters suffered from severe eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and required years of intensive therapy due to their father’s invasive obsession with their physical growth.
The project has been a subject of significant ethical debate concerning the boundaries between experimental art and the privacy of children. Family Opposition:
The project understands the speed of digital content, integrating trending topics, formats, and platforms into its narrative structure [1].
: Rivers’ younger daughter, Emma Tamburlini, fiercely objected to the inclusion of the tapes. She publicly condemned the footage as child pornography and stated that the non-consensual filming severely damaged her mental health and contributed to teenage anorexia.