Leikkivät karhut / Bears at Play

Bears at Play, a bronze piece completed in 1951, is very typical of Hovi’s oeuvre. In Bears at play the awkwardness of the cubs and the amused grin of the mother tell their story expressed in Hovi’s massive and humorous style. In fact, Hovi is often characterized as a story teller. The humour of the piece culminates at the mother’s arched back, down which the little bears are sliding. The mother bear is a rendering of a theme Hovi often applied in which the mother is depicted from a child’s perspective and has a strong presence offering safety. In addition to the Bears at Play, Hovi’s works on show in Helsinki include the Fish Boy at Linnanmäki and Boys Throwing a Ball in Herttoniemi.

The work doesn’t belong to the collections of the Helsinki Art Museum.