Opening of the Exhibition “Little Bear Rūdis and His Friends Go to Jasmuiža”

On 8 May at 1:00 p.m., the Rainis Museum “Jasmuiža” will open the warm and creative exhibition “Little Bear Rūdis Goes to Jasmuiža”, dedicated to the world of teddy bears and Rūdis, the hero of a children’s book series.

The exhibition’s author, Gundega O. Vainovska, is a passionate teddy bear collector and the creator of a children’s book series about Little Bear Rūdis. Her collection currently contains more than 430 different bears and continues to grow.

The exhibition will feature handmade bears from Gundega’s private collection, created by various artists. Among them, three bears made by the author herself hold a special place. One of them—Esmeralda, who appears in two books about Rūdis—is the first bear Gundega made herself; for it, she received a debutante’s diploma at a teddy bear makers’ competition in England.

In everyday life, Gundega O. Vainovska works in journalism, while in her free time her interests encompass a wide range of creative pursuits—travel, photography, fashion, music, handicrafts, painting and ballet. However, teddy bears have always held a special place in her heart.

The first book about Little Bear Rūdis, “How Little Bear Rūdis Prepared for Christmas”, was published at the end of 2016. It was followed by two more books—“How Little Bear Rūdis Organised a Garden Party” and “Little Bear Rūdis Goes to Old Riga”—which have won the affection of young readers.

The author’s collection is a living, continuously growing story, bringing together childhood gifts, bears bought in Latvia and brought back from travels, as well as works created by the author herself. Each bear in the collection has its own name and its own special story.

The exhibition “Little Bear Rūdis Goes to Jasmuiža” will appeal to both children and adults, offering an opportunity to discover the diversity of teddy bears and feel the warmth brought by these special characters.

The exhibition can be viewed from 8 May to 30 June.