Larry Rivers (1972)

In freeranging conversations as he works in his studio Rivers oppositional nature and independent mind are apparent He reflects on his past painting and its critical reception and speculates on his place in art history Like his art Larry Rivers is the opposite of selfcontained Alive gregarious fraught with feeling he has always been drawn to poetry and to jazz His own saxophone playing appears to be an extension of the expressive and experimental character found in his paintings drawings constructions and video works Rivers is shown at work in his New York studio He examines a series of his Dutch Masters paintings inspired by the standard cigarbox image which recalls Rembrandt as well as several of his iconoclastic portraits Among these are his naked renditions of the late poet and critic Frank OHara and the bold double images of his former motherinlaw Berdie He died in 2002