Bear Surprise

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Bear Surprise (often dubbed just "Surprise!") is a watercolor painting by John Lurie, the style of which has been described as primitivist and naïve.^[1] The painting depicts a couple having sex in a meadow, with a bear standing in front of them, with fore paws in a distinctive position. There is a speech bubble above the head of the bear, which reads, "Surprise!". The picture is considered an internet meme in Russian culture and has been described as having "gained vast popularity with the speed of an avalanche."^[1] Its popularity, especially in runet, lead to the bear's speech balloon being changed from "Surprise" to "Preved", a made up word that combines the Russian word "privet" (hello or hi) and "medved" (bear). The title eventually became known as "Preved Medved" (translation "Hello Bear").^[2]

A website specialising in oil and gas news, www.gazpromneft.com, (unaffiliated with oil producing and refining company Gazprom Neft) used the companies logo and the "Medved" bear. ^[3]

[edit] See also

• Preved

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} The "preved" phenomenon
2. ^ "From Russia, With Bear"
3. ^ User conducts PR with Gazprom Neft logo and "medved"

[edit] External links

• John Lurie official webpage
  
• "Полный превед" (an article about the internet phenomenon, in Russian)