A smiling bear standing on its hind legs became the mascot of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. It was called Mishka to echo the nicknames of a bear in Russian fairy tales — Mikhail Potapych, Misha, Mishutka. The mascot was intended to symbolize the strength and perseverance of athletes.
The Olympic Mishka appeared on pennants, posters, postage stamps, envelopes, postcards, badges, souvenirs, as well as in print media. The Kotovsk Construction Materials Plant was among the enterprises that produced Olympic paraphernalia. In 1972, it launched the production of ceramics, and from 1980, the plant produced ceramic figurines ‘Olympic Mishka’. One of such figurines is housed by the museum.
In 1977, right on the air of the Russian program ‘In the World of Animals’, the Olympics organizing committee announced a contest for the best illustration of a bear. Out of all submitted applications, the committee selected 60 sketches, including the one made by a 42-year-old artist Viktor Chizhikov — a well-known illustrator of children’s books. On April 1, 1977, Chizhikov submitted a colored version of the image to the committee, but there were no Olympic symbols just yet. It was not until August that he came up with the bear wearing a belt with Olympic rings. According to Chizhikov, this image came to him in a dream.
At the exhibition of the Olympic mascot projects, Chizhikov’s version was supported by the president of the International Olympic Committee Lord Killanin. In late September, the artist got a call. On the other end of the line, they said,
The Olympic Mishka appeared on pennants, posters, postage stamps, envelopes, postcards, badges, souvenirs, as well as in print media. The Kotovsk Construction Materials Plant was among the enterprises that produced Olympic paraphernalia. In 1972, it launched the production of ceramics, and from 1980, the plant produced ceramic figurines ‘Olympic Mishka’. One of such figurines is housed by the museum.
In 1977, right on the air of the Russian program ‘In the World of Animals’, the Olympics organizing committee announced a contest for the best illustration of a bear. Out of all submitted applications, the committee selected 60 sketches, including the one made by a 42-year-old artist Viktor Chizhikov — a well-known illustrator of children’s books. On April 1, 1977, Chizhikov submitted a colored version of the image to the committee, but there were no Olympic symbols just yet. It was not until August that he came up with the bear wearing a belt with Olympic rings. According to Chizhikov, this image came to him in a dream.
At the exhibition of the Olympic mascot projects, Chizhikov’s version was supported by the president of the International Olympic Committee Lord Killanin. In late September, the artist got a call. On the other end of the line, they said,
