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There is magic to be found in the wilderness. You just have to know where to look! Artist Thomas Dambo is doing his part to make the world a bit more enchanting by spreading his incredible troll sculptures throughout the world. His monumental gentle giants are constructed using recycled wood, branches, and other debris, and they are in forests and along shores just waiting for anyone to find them. Once discovered, their calm demeanor and jovial expressions add delight alongside the surprise of coming upon the larger-than-life fantastical forms.
Dambo’s work spans multiple continents, and his latest collection of trolls was recently constructed in the Peel region of Western Australia. It’s part of Giants of Mandurah, and he’s installed six different trolls throughout the area. Their varying locations have been made into a game and invite visitors to explore the surrounding nature as they try to find them all.
Each sculpture has a different pose that corresponds to its site. One troll sits quietly on the shores overlooking the water while another grips a tree in a forest setting. They all have Dambo’s trademark kind eyes and large smiles and accompany a special symbol that helps visitors complete the game. Once someone collects the symbols and breaks the code, it leads them to another “secret” troll.
Created with children in mind, the hide-and-seek aspect was an important element of the project. “I think it’s really important that the next generation is connected to nature,” Dambo explained. “You can’t isolate all the humans in a city and believe they are going to care about the natural world. That’s why I tried to gamify the giants, to appeal to younger people who are so used to discovering the world through a screen.”
Sadly, one of the six trolls in Giants of Mandurah has been destroyed by a fire. The sculptures can take up to 750 hours to complete and represent the hard work of the artist and a team of volunteers, so the loss is a devastating one. The remaining trolls will be on view until November 2023.
If you’re not local to Peel, there might be a chance to see one of Dambo’s trolls where you live. His Trollmap plots all of the places where you can find his work.
Artist Thomas Dambo is doing his part to make the world a bit more enchanting by spreading his incredible troll sculptures throughout the world.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
His latest collection of trolls was recently constructed in the Peel region of Western Australia.
View this post on Instagram
It’s part of Giants of Mandurah, and he’s installed six different trolls throughout the area.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
Their varying locations have been made into a game and invite visitors to explore the surrounding nature as they try to find them all.
View this post on Instagram
Once someone collects the symbols and breaks the code, it leads them to another “secret” troll.
View this post on Instagram
The trolls will be on view until November 2023.
View this post on Instagram
Thomas Dambo: Website | Instagram | Facebook
h/t: [Good News Network]
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