Imagine stumbling upon a giant troll in the middle of the forest. For visitors to Detroit Lakes, Minn., this is no fantasy but a delightful reality. Danish artist Thomas Dambo, known for his colossal outdoor sculptures made from recycled materials, has unveiled his latest and largest project to date: a series of massive trolls hidden in the woodlands around the city. The whimsical creations not only captivate onlookers but carry a profound using items around us instead of throwing them in the trash.

Dambo’s journey to creating these trolls began in an unexpected place: a city dump in Minnesota. While rummaging through discarded items, he discovered large yellow plastic bins tossed by a tool manufacturing company. “They were perfect for the rabbit,” said Dambo, who promptly contacted the company to acquire the rest of their discarded bins.

Ronny Funny Face is among five trolls Thomas Dambo set up last month around Detroit Lakes, Minn. Photo by Thomas Dambo Art

With about 25 tons of scrap wood and the help of 300 volunteers, Dambo transformed the trash into five enormous trolls and a golden rabbit, complete with salvaged wiper-blade whiskers and motorcycle helmets for eyes. The sculptures, ranging from 16 to 42 feet in height, were hidden in forested parks around Detroit Lakes.

“My ultimate goal is to have trolls surprising people in every state,” said Dambo, who has made a career out of building these mythical giants. To date, he has placed 139 outsized trash trolls in 19 states across the United States and in 20 countries.

I’d love to show people how much beauty we can create from all that trash,” he said.

In Detroit Lakes, each troll has its unique personality and story. Alexa, named after Dambo’s wife, holds a large wooden spoon over a recipe book and a cauldron, while Ronny Funny Face mischievously sticks his tongue out at passersby. The tallest of them all, Long Leif, stands a towering 42 feet above the grass.

Since the exhibit’s opening on June 10, the trolls have attracted visitors from across the country, according to Amy Stearns, executive director of Project 412, a nonprofit community arts support group.

Volunteers helped artist Thomas Dambo build 800 bird houses, which were placed around Detroit Lakes, Minn. Photo by Thomas Dambo Art

“Our part of northwest Minnesota gets overlooked a lot,” Stearns said, noting the increase in tourists to the area since the art pieces were installed. Volunteers also helped Dambo build 800 birdhouses to scatter around the city, adding to the community’s charm.

The trolls in Detroit Lakes are more than just art; they are part of a larger story about environmental responsibility. Dambo’s creations often travel as temporary exhibits with messages about caring for the environment, such as the “Save the Humans” trolls displayed at the Philadelphia Zoo earlier this year.

Dambo, a former rap musician and graffiti artist, pivoted to large-scale art in 2014. Inspired by his childhood memories and Scandinavian folklore, he debuted his first two trolls, Mr. Limbo and Mrs. Limbo, at a Danish music festival.

It takes about 750 hours to complete each one from beginning to end,” he said.

Their success led to more ambitious projects, including Six Forgotten Giants in Copenhagen and Troll Hunt in Chicago. Now, with a studio set up on a farm near Copenhagen, Dambo and his crew of 26 work on creating troll heads to be shipped and assembled on-site. The trolls are strategically placed to surprise and delight, making the discovery feel special.

Dambo shares his creations on social media, where he has a following of over 300,000. He incorporates stories and legends into each project to convey messages about caring for the Earth. In Detroit Lakes, the story revolves around a golden rabbit that casts a spell on humans, encouraging them to seek happiness beyond material wealth.

Visitors to Detroit Lakes start their adventure at the Alexa troll and follow clues to find the golden rabbit. While solving the riddles can take up to 12 hours, those short on time can still enjoy the trolls individually with directions provided by Project 412.

“Inside your trash can is the possibility to change the world if you apply some creativity and some love,” Dambo said. “All trash is treasure.” His trolls not only bring joy to those who find them but also serve as a testament to the power of recycled art.