ISHØJ, Denmark (AP) — For over a decade, Danish recycling artist Thomas Dambo has created and distributed whimsical wooden troll sculptures across the globe, amassing nearly 200 installations in 19 countries. With his unique approach that combines artistry and environmental consciousness, Dambo has made it his mission to highlight the importance of waste management and recycling.
Now, Dambo is set to debut his first museum exhibit titled “The Garbage Man” at the Arken Museum of Contemporary Art located on the outskirts of Copenhagen. This exhibit introduces a collection of fairy tale-inspired sculptures, centering around a narrative of mischievous trolls who secretly invade the museum and reconfigure its space. “They build and leave a giant human made of trash... as a lesson for the humans to behave better and don’t put their trash where everybody else lives,” Dambo explained from his studio near the Danish capital.
His journey began in 2014 when he built his first two troll sculptures for a Danish music festival. In 2016, he hid six giant trolls in Copenhagen’s wooded areas, an initiative that quickly captured public interest online, attracting millions of viewers. “I was like, if I tell a story that combines them all, then when I’ve done this (for) 10 years, I will probably have made over 100 sculptures," he reflected. Twelve years later, he has indeed become an international sensation with almost 200 creations, producing around 25 new trolls annually. The tallest of his creations, titled “Long Leif,” stands proudly at 13 meters (43 feet) in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.
Typically, Dambo’s work is not just an exhibition but also a treasure hunt. His fairy-tale sculptures are often tucked away in diverse natural settings—forests, mountains, jungles, and grasslands around the world—encouraged to be discovered through an online “Troll Map.” For instance, “Little Lisa” is concealed within a forest in Germany, while “Happy Kim” relaxes in a botanical garden in South Korea. The thrill of finding these trolls draws approximately 5 million visitors every year, as children climb and adults marvel at his creations. “The sculptures bring people out to experience things that they would otherwise have been too lazy or maybe not creative enough to go and visit,” Dambo said, emphasizing that his trolls lead people to lesser-known places.
At the Arken exhibit, which opened on Sunday and will run until November 29, Dambo’s new sculptures reflect figures inspired by his childhood friends. They embody a rebellious spirit akin to late teenagers or young adults, personifying a group that would break into a museum and fill it with trash. While trolls have roots in Scandinavian folklore, Dambo leverages these mythical figures as a medium for critical messages about waste and recycling.
His sculptures are predominantly crafted from waste and discarded materials, including wooden pallets, old furniture, and whisky barrels, emphasizing sustainability. The museum setting allows Dambo to experiment with materials unsuitable for outdoor installations, incorporating discarded electronics, cardboard, and clothing. Among his creations, “Dyna Dee” can be found lounging atop a 6-meter (nearly 20-foot) mound of clothing sourced from a local recycling organization. Dambo’s objective for visitors is to instill a desire to consume less. “It’s not really about recycling; it’s about you probably have enough clothes in your cabinet to wear for the rest of your life,” he stated. “This is not my recycling project, this is my stop buying stuff project.”
