In the end, Growing is not a documentary about gardening. It is a documentary about the gardener—and the artist—as a mortal, fertile, and flawed organism, trying to make something meaningful before the frost comes. For those lucky enough to track down a copy, it remains a hidden gem of the American avant-garde.
By 1981, Rivers was not just an artist but a celebrity. The art market was booming, and the public was hungry for the "dirt" behind the canvases. It was the perfect moment for a documentary that promised to "grow" before your eyes. Documentary Growing 1981 Larry Rivers Download
: True to Rivers' multidisciplinary approach, the video is a blend of intimate home-video-style footage and professional artistic discourse. It features Rivers discussing how he uses his mother as a frequent subject in his artworks (paintings and sketches). The Narrative In the end, Growing is not a documentary about gardening
Documentary approach and themes
In the vast digital ocean of streaming content, certain gems remain buried, accessible only to those who know precisely what they are looking for. If you have stumbled upon the search phrase you are likely not a casual viewer. You are an archivist, an art student, or a connoisseur of the post-war New York art scene. By 1981, Rivers was not just an artist but a celebrity