Furthermore, the painting engages with the theme of mortality. By 1981, Rivers had outlived many of his peers (Jackson Pollock, Frank O’Hara, Willem de Kooning was still alive but declining). The fungal, slightly morbid quality of the stalks—some appear to be wilting even as others grow—suggests a memento mori. Growth implies decay; creation implies destruction. This dualism is central to understanding Rivers’ late work: he refuses the purely heroic or purely nihilistic stance.
The project remains largely unexhibited due to its sensitive nature and family opposition. Archive Dispute : In 2010, New York University returned the "Growing" series to the Larry Rivers Foundation after learning of the daughters' objections. Preservation growing 1981 larry rivers
When the footage was eventually translated into the 1981 painting, the artwork utilized a sequential, film-like structure. Artistic Composition and Impact Furthermore, the painting engages with the theme of
In 1981, Rivers was 58 years old and at the height of his career. He continued to experiment with various mediums, including painting, sculpture, and printmaking. This year marked a period of significant growth and innovation for the artist. Growth implies decay; creation implies destruction
In this piece, notice the hands. The hands in Growing are enormous, disproportionate, and rendered almost entirely in charcoal pencil over a thin wash of oil. They hover near the groin and the heart—two centers of biological growth. The fingers look like roots digging into the soil of the torso. It is gross, tender, and utterly profound.