The Majestic Bear
Permanent Exhibition (Coming Soon)
OZ Trails Bike Park in Bella Vista, Arkansas (Exact Location Coming Soon)
About the Exhibition
The Majestic Black Bear is a monumental public sculpture by Gillie and Marc, created in collaboration with OZ Art for Bella Vista Bike Park. At the heart of the project is a simple and memorable idea: this is a place where visitors can come and sit in the bear paws.
The sculpture presents the black bear not as a figure of danger, but as a symbol of protection, calm, and generosity. Seated with its large paws open and ready to hold those who enter, the bear becomes a gentle guardian — powerful yet welcoming, majestic yet deeply approachable. The work invites people of all ages to step into its embrace and experience a moment of comfort, wonder, and connection.
Designed as an interactive landmark, The Majestic Black Bear transforms public art into something that can be physically experienced. Visitors are not only viewing the sculpture; they are becoming part of it. By sitting in the bear paws, they engage directly with the work and with the message it carries. The gesture is playful and emotional, but also deeply symbolic. It suggests safety, trust, and the idea of being held by nature itself.
For Bella Vista Bike Park, the sculpture is intended to be far more than a visual feature. It will become a destination within the park — a place where riders, families, and visitors can gather, rest, take photographs, and create lasting memories. In an environment shaped by movement, energy, and outdoor adventure, the sculpture provides a special moment of pause and reflection. It offers a powerful contrast: a monumental wild animal, rendered with warmth and openness, inviting the community in.
The project also reflects Gillie and Marc’s long-standing artistic mission to create public art that is accessible, uplifting, and rooted in a love for wildlife. Their sculptures are known internationally for combining large scale with emotional resonance, encouraging audiences to interact with art in a direct and joyful way. In The Majestic Black Bear, that vision is expressed through a work that celebrates both the strength of the natural world and its capacity to nurture and protect.
In collaboration with OZ Art, this project brings together art, place, and experience in a way that gives Bella Vista Bike Park a unique and meaningful identity. The sculpture is envisioned as an iconic landmark that will draw people in, spark conversation, and create a strong sense of place. It stands as both a tribute to wildlife and a celebration of community — a work that invites connection not only with the sculpture itself, but also with the landscape and with one another.
Ultimately, The Majestic Black Bear is about belonging, protection, and wonder. It is a sculpture that turns strength into kindness and scale into intimacy. By inviting visitors to come and sit in the bear hands, the project creates an unforgettable public experience — one that is playful, moving, and full of heart.
