“TROLLS: Save the Humans” by Thomas Dambo coming next year to The Wild Center
As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, The Wild Center is proud to announce the arrival of “TROLLS: Save the Humans,” a monumental outdoor exhibition by Danish recycling artist Thomas Dambo, on view next year from June through October 2026. This all-new exhibition, featuring six of Thomas Dambo’s signature folklore-inspired troll sculptures built from reclaimed materials, will amaze and delight visitors of all ages. Like many of Dambo’s sculptures, each troll has been created from reclaimed wood, highlighting the artist’s passion as a recycling art activist. His vision is to create art that will inspire people to explore and create new adventures in nature while demonstrating that trash can be turned into something beautiful and unique.
Produced by Imagine in collaboration with the artist, “Trolls: Save the Humans” blends art, nature, and messages of sustainability in a unique outdoor art installation. Known for his ability to make larger-than-life-sized troll sculptures from reclaimed wood and other natural found materials, “Trolls: Save the Humans” is Thomas Dambo’s latest exploration in crafting giant trolls with an environmental call. In this new traveling exhibition, Dambo tells an evolved story of listening and tending to nature, further building on the Nordic-inspired tales and artist-made poems surrounding the other 101 larger-than-life trolls that co-exist in various locations around the world, including Denmark, US, France, Germany, China, South Korea, Chile and more.
“Trolls: Save the Humans” is the latest chapter in the worldwide sculpture fairytale, written by Dambo one installation at a time. In the new installation, six young activist trolls have noticed that humans are disconnected from nature and have started harming the planet. These young trolls set out to help humans learn how to live in harmony with the planet. Full of personality and activism, each troll has a name and plays a distinctive role in the tribe, becoming role models for us humans to learn from. For example, Ronja Redeye, who is the leader of the group, has a voice like whistling leaves in the wind; when she speaks, everyone listens. Another featured troll is Rosa Sunfinger who places flowers in an improvised flower pot made of a real car, to watch the garden grow. Ibbi Pip is putting up birdhouses while another is listening to the ground.
Most importantly, the exhibition allows visitors to appreciate both nature and the sculptures as something beautiful and may inspire visitors to recycle and rethink and value their own trash. Presenting a playful spin on traditional sculptural art, Trolls: Save the Humans is an accessible experience for all ages.
Tom Zaller, President and CEO of Imagine shared, “Imagine is proud to partner with Thomas Dambo to bring the creative vision of Trolls: Save the Humans to the Adirondacks. We’re delighted to collaborate with The Wild Center on this incredible exhibition and to offer a new outdoor exhibition for visitors.”
“These trolls may look playful, but their message is serious—and timely,” said Stephanie Ratcliffe, Executive Director of The Wild Center. “Through Thomas Dambo’s art, we hope visitors of all ages will rediscover their sense of wonder and understand the powerful connection between creativity, sustainability, and protecting the natural world.”
“TROLLS: Save the Humans,” will highlight The Wild Center’s 20th anniversary season. The Center will offer related programming throughout the summer, including fairy house and birdhouse-building workshops, designed to spark creativity and deepen engagement with the natural environment. Learn more at wildcenter.org/trolls.
TROLLS: Save the Humans is supported through a Market New York grant awarded by Empire State Development and I LOVE NY, New York State’s Division of Tourism.