In folklore, trolls are beings imbued with natural magic, possessing bodies of stone and craggy faces covered in dirt and moss. The whimsical creatures serve as inspiration for Danish environmental artist Thomas Dambo, whose towering troll sculptures can be found around the world, from Australia to Northern Ireland.
Soon, Portland will be home to one of his pieces. Together with the Scan Design Foundation, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, and other partners, Dambo will bring his “Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King” exhibition to the Pacific Northwest this summer.
The first figure will be constructed in the wetlands beside Nordic Northwest in the Metzger neighborhood, where visitors will be able to visit it down a gravel path. Each troll (five will be in Washington) will be made completely with recycled materials, interact with its surroundings, and stay for at least three years. Work is slated to finish in September.
