Trolls Promoting Environmental Awareness Through Art
Woodside, Calif. (AP) – A collection of impressive wooden trolls, standing tall amidst forests around the globe, aims to guide humanity toward a more sustainable way of living.
Thomas Dumbo, a Danish recycling artist, along with his team, has fashioned 170 troll sculptures using reclaimed materials like wooden pallets, discarded furniture, and wine barrels.
More than a decade after starting the “Thousand Troll Trails” initiative, his sculptures are now scattered across over 20 countries and 21 states in the US. Each year, Dumbo and his crew craft a new troll, typically ranging from 25 to 40 feet tall.
“We believe we can make anything, anything,” Dumbo expressed from his farm near Copenhagen. “We are owned by garbage, but we also know that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
Currently, six of his installations, dubbed “Trolls Save the Man,” are showcased at Filoli, a historic estate spread across 650 acres of lush forest and gardens, located about 30 miles south of San Francisco.
“They will bring us back to connect with the Earth and nature,” reflected Janet Weederman, who visited Filoli with her son in July.
Each troll crafted by Dumbo possesses its unique character and story. For instance, in Filoli, there’s Troll Ibbi Pip who constructs a bird shop, Rosa Sunfinger who plants flowers, and Kamma Can who makes jewelry from items deemed waste by others.
“Each member has a story to tell,” noted Kara Newport, CEO of Filoli. “It inspires visitors to ponder their own narratives and consider what kind of creatures inhabit the forest, forging connections with nature.”
Dumbo’s trolls hold a less-than-favorable view of humans, primarily due to our tendency to squander natural resources and pollute the Earth. These mythical beings have existed for countless years, witnessing the detrimental impacts of human actions.
In contrast, the six younger trolls at Filoli display a more hopeful perspective on humanity. They’re eager to teach people how to better safeguard their environment.
“They want to save humans, so they do this by teaching them how to become better people. They are creatures who don’t harm nature,” Dumbo, a poet and former hip-hop artist, explained. “They aim to prevent humans from being consumed by the older trolls.”
Dumbo’s trolls are cleverly hidden in various ecosystems, including forests, mountains, and meadows throughout Europe and North America, as well as nations like Australia, Chile, and South Korea. Most sculptures were crafted from locally sourced materials and built on-site, thanks to the efforts of local artisans and volunteers.
“My exhibition attracts around 400,000,000 visitors globally each year, and it’s created from discarded materials along with the help of volunteers,” Dumbo stated. “It serves as compelling evidence of why we should rethink what we toss aside and emphasizes the importance of recycling.”
