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Thomas Dambo is considered the world’s leading recycle artist, and is internationally known for his art installations, most notably his giant troll sculptures. From a young age, Thomas’ parents instilled the value of recycling and sustainability. His clever mind saw the opportunity to use free recycled materials to build tree houses, games, and artistic creations right from his imagination.
Before embarking on the path of building larger than life sculptures, Thomas lived a diverse life with a multifaceted resume: human beatbox, graffiti/street artist, and rapper to name a few. His career in music and stage performance allowed him to design and build over-the-top scenography, curate brand image, and drive the marketing of musical groups. During that time, Thomas enrolled at the internationally acclaimed Kolding Design School where he earned a master’s degree in interactive design. It was then that he recalled the values his parents instilled, using free and recycled materials to build thousands of colorful birdhouses that adorned the streets of Denmark. His limitless imagination and resourcefulness have created the foundation for his artwork today.
Thomas’ high level of creativity, design acumen and versatility drive the creation of highly interactive experiences, allowing users to express their own individuality on a large scale. This philosophy can be found in works such as his Happy Alphabet, a series of giant colorful letters and emojis that users can combine to create personalized messages, or in the Happy Wall, a massive wall comprised of colorful wooden planks that users flip to create pixelated messages and creations. Interactivity turns into co-creation when Thomas recruits thousands of volunteers to help create his visions." In 2018, Future Forest debuted in Chapultepec Park, Mexico City. This 500 sq. foot garden is made solely of recycled plastics collected by volunteers and arranged to create colorful array of flowers, animals, and landscapes that communicate the power of recycling and what can come of our refuse. Remake Christmas 2, one of Thomas’ many Remake projects, allows visitors to tour an entire DIY Christmas market, much like those found in Copenhagen. Workshops in the market allowed visitors to make their own Christmas gifts using the recycled materials collected from nearby commercial shops. Free entry and versatility make Thomas’ experience accessible for everyone.
Today, Thomas is known internationally for his larger-than-life troll sculptures that are a apart of his project “The Trail of A Thousand Trolls” that are all made from recycled wood. With 100+ sculptures all over the world, these trolls have begun to have a life of their own. Popping up in Denmark, USA, France, Germany, China, South Korea, Chile, and many more on the way, the message of sustainability and unlimited imagination have reached millions through in person visits, shared photos, and international media coverage from the likes of BBC, National Geographic, NPR and more.
Thomas’ vision is to create art that inspires people to go explore, have adventures in nature, and demonstrates that trash can be turned into something beautiful.