MoBear Mo’ Betta Sculpture
Russian-Canadian Sculptor Anyuta Gusakova
Russian-Canadian multi-media sculptor, Anyuta Gusakova lives and works in Vancouver, Canada.
She was classically trained in Russia and received their equivalent of an MFA from the Moscow Stroganov Academy of Art and Design.
Since her immigration to Canada in 2008 she has been in numerous international shows and competitions. Her sculptures have been on public display at the Vancouver International Airport and other Vancouver venues. Sculptor Anyuta Gusakova is the 2017 winner of the Canadian Legend Award and is currently doing an art residency with the clay art center, Pottery Northwest, in Seattle, Washington.
MoBear is her signature look and ongoing sculpture project. Some of Anyuta’s MoBears are reminiscent of Koons’ work, while others are more ornate reflecting her Russian heritage.
Anyuta takes the MoBear concept and works them in a variety of sizes and media.
The sculptor Anyuta Gusakova describes her “pet project” MoBear to Sculpture Digest:
MoBear – the Molecular Bear. MoBear has a molecular shape and at the same time looks like a toy bear, a Teddy Bear. It has both serious scientific look and playful character.
I call this molecule a molecule of Teddybearium, the childhood matter, that brings joy in every child’s life. Currently I am working on a new periodic table that will include this newly discovered and very important element of teddybearium.
It has such an iconic and laconic abstract-figurative shape that I absolutely love playing with it like a child plays with their toy bear.
I try different sizes and use diverse materials to make my MoBears: ceramic, porcelain, and gypsum polymer.
I even turned some into Pet MoBears, which have faux fur and collars and leashes. I saw them as my living pets, not some still pieces in the interior. I wanted them to be alive, so I took them for “a walk” out on the streets of Vancouver. That project was called “Walking the MoBears in Yaletown”.
Another photo story depicts me “having breakfast” with another piece of mine – Miss Bunny – while MoBears are floating around in the air like some abstracted cloud shapes.
No Photoshop was used for this project. We hang the sculptures on fishing lines from the hooks on my kitchen ceiling.
I also have been working on a series of highly ornate MoBears which is called Bears Round the World. This series is inspired by diverse global cultures, folk arts and crafts. The first who sculptures in the series are the Dragon Bear, inspired by Asian motifs, and Mishka, the Russian Bear, inspired by Russian folk Khokhloma painting.
Smaller Baby MoBears and Mini MoBears are made into limited editions of slip cast fine porcelain sculptures. My idea behind these editions is to provide more people with a piece of teddybearium to spread the unconventional joy of existence.
My dream is to manufacture large scale public art MoBear objects in order to spread smiles outside into the urban environment.
I can see my shiny happy MoBears sitting by the entrance of some building or large hall or park. I want people, who may be stressed or tired of busy city life, to look at bears and smile and feel better. I hope that my MoBears can share their happy energy with many-many people in the world.
We must say that these friendly MoBears brought a joy-filled light to our day here at Sculpture Digest!
Anyuta refers to herself as a dreamer. Happy and dark dreams both. She views it as her mission to materialize these dreams, filling our world with their “mysterious, irrational beauty.”
You can learn more about Gusakova and her work—MoBears and much more at her website AnyutaStudio
Be sure to connect with Anyuta on social media:
All artwork copyright Anyuta Gusakova
Images, details and photo credits:
- MoBear Family. Diverse sizes and materials. Photo credit Milos Tosic
- Artist Anyuta Gusakova with a MoBear. Photo credit Malcolm Parry.
- Baby MoBears. Limited edition porcelain, 6x5x5in. Photo credit Alina Iliasova
- Pet MoBears. Porcelain, faux fur, 12x10x10in. Photo credit Milos Tosic
- Walking MoBears in Yaletown 2. Pet MoBears: porcelain, faux fur. Size: 12x10x10in. Photo credit: Milos Tosic
- Breakfast with Bunny. Gypsum polymer, 14x12x12in. Photo credit Milos Tosic
- Bears Round the World series: Dragon Bear and Mishka. Photo credit Alina Ilyasova
- Baby and Mini MoBears. Porcelain, limited edition. Photo credit artist
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