thomas dambo builds 7 giant trolls made from reclaimed wood in belgian forest

danish artist thomas dambo has built seven giant trolls from reclaimed wood in the de schore area of boom, belgium. using old shelves, pallets, and branches from fallen trees, dambo has created the 13 to 60-foot-tall sculptures, which are dotted around the forest with some practicing chores and others taking a rest.

images courtesy of thomas dambo

using old shelves, pallets, and branches from fallen trees, dambo has built the giant wooden trolls. the installation marks the 15th anniversary of the electronic festival as a gift to the local community. over 200 volunteers helped to collect the materials needed before dambo and a crew of 15 people spent 25 weeks building the sculptures.

to accompany the sculptures, dambo has written a rap that tells an enchanting fairytale of seven giant trolls. from the forest they watched the ‘little people’, their concerns growing for what the future may hold if they were left to their own devices. the trolls decide to build a tower inviting the little people into the forest to climb it so they could see the vast beauty of nature.

‘since I was a child I always loved to hear different fairytales and folklore stories, and dream my self away into magical worlds filled with dragons and trolls,’ says thomas dambo. ‘as a teenager I started writing my own stories as a rapper, putting out records, touring and creating a universe, where I could tell these stories. in my latest project, i combined all of the above: recycling, rapping, nature, and sculptures’

dambo is known for his mythical troll sculptures having installed them in several location across the world including puerto rico, south korea, across the US and in denmark. this particular installation celebrates the 15th anniversary belgium-based festival tomorrowland. visitors to the de schore recreational area can also explore the trail, which includes an observation tower built from found branches.

project info

artist: thomas dambo

project: the 7 trolls and the magical tower

location: de schore, boom, belgium