When I learned that my favorite Danish artist, Thomas Dambo, would be featured in a museum exhibition, I didn’t hesitate long – I made a trip to ARKEN Museum of Contemporary Art.
Thomas Dambo is the creative force behind the wooden troll statues scattered across the globe. We’ve made it a point to seek them out whenever we travel – it’s turned into a meaningful way to explore places we might otherwise never see. To date, Dambo has created more than 170 trolls across 19 countries and five continents, and his works draw millions of visitors each year.
For the first time ever, Dambo’s art is the focus of a museum exhibition. ARKEN opens “The Garbage Man,” a large special exhibition dedicated entirely to his work. All of his pieces are built from recycled wood, waste, and discarded materials – and it’s this very idea of turning garbage into art that lies at the heart of the show.
For Thomas Dambo, garbage isn’t about waste. It’s about new possibilities.
When: 24 May – 29 November 2026
Read more about the exhibition here.
