A dozen towering troll sculptures built from fallen branches, old wooden pallets and twigs are headed to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids next spring, marking the first Michigan exhibition from Danish artist Thomas Dambo. The outdoor show, called “TROLLS: A Field Study,” will run from May 14 through Oct. 31, 2027, giving visitors more than five months to track down all 12 oversized figures scattered across the gardens.
According to MLive, the exhibition invites guests to discover the 12 sculptures and is produced by Imagine in collaboration with Dambo. The same report notes it will be Dambo's first traveling exhibition in Michigan, and that the sculptures are crafted from reclaimed materials including fallen branches, wooden pallets and twigs. A full roster of the characters — Valle, Wilde, Birch, Anja, Poppi, Bignut, Boge, Lilnut, Hasse, Kirse, Larke and their leader, Taks — appears on Imagine's project page, which describes the show as a brand-new outdoor exhibition featuring twelve of Dambo's signature, folklore-inspired trolls.
Who's Behind the Wooden Giants
Carol Kendra, chief operating officer at Meijer Gardens, said per the same MLive report that the exhibition encourages appreciation of nature and sculpture while inspiring recycling and reduced environmental impact. Tom Zaller, president and CEO of Imagine, said the company is delighted to partner with Dambo and collaborate with Meijer Gardens on an outdoor exhibition, adding that the project continues Imagine's mission to create moments that entertain, educate and inspire and that the company is proud to continue that journey in Grand Rapids, the MLive article states.
The exhibition arrives with its own storybook, recounting the trolls' adventures from their perspective and detailing lessons the 12 characters discovered about “little humans” during their field trip, according to the same account. Dambo is known for writing folk tales that address humanity's relationship with the planet in a whimsical, approachable way, the report notes. Imagine's own description of the exhibition echoes that theme, noting the show is meant to help visitors understand the importance of recycling and reusing trash, and the importance of plants, gardens and more.
Michigan's First Taste of Dambo's Trolls Already Has Company
Michigan isn't entirely new to Dambo's work. A single giant troll named Benny the Beard Fisher has stood along the Manistique River in the Upper Peninsula since it was installed in July 2023, measuring roughly 30 feet long and 14 feet tall, according to Visit Manistique. That sculpture was built using recycled cedar planks from a local Amish lumber mill, per the same source. But the Meijer Gardens show will be Dambo's first full traveling exhibition in the state, part of a body of work that spans more than 17 countries and includes over 170 trolls across the United States.
Similar Exhibitions Are Already Drawing Crowds Elsewhere
“TROLLS: A Field Study” isn't a one-off; it's the second exhibition Dambo has created with Imagine, following a version now on view at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Washington, according to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. That presentation opened Oct. 15 and runs through Jan. 24, with four trolls at Point Defiance and eight at Northwest Trek, standing between 7 and 9 feet tall. The zoo describes the show as an immersive outdoor art experience highlighting sustainability, creativity and environmental stewardship.
Dambo's trolls have also been turning up elsewhere this year. In northern New York, the Wild Center unveiled his 36-foot-tall “Patrick Sapling,” described by the New York Times as the state's first permanent artwork by the artist, alongside a traveling show called “Trolls: Save the Humans” featuring six large trolls focused on reconnecting people with nature. The Times also reported that Tupper Lake officials and residents hope the installation will turn a short-term surge in visitors into a longer-term economic boost for the town. Meanwhile, Dambo's exhibition “The Garbage Man” is running at the Arken Museum of Contemporary Art through Nov. 29, the Times separately reported.
What to Expect When the Trolls Arrive
Imagine notes that its outdoor troll exhibitions are designed to be tailored to the footprint of the host site, suggesting the Meijer Gardens layout will be built around the gardens' own grounds rather than a standardized template. The Grand Rapids show is being presented by Macatawa Bank and powered by Wintrust, and will be available at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park from May 14 through Oct. 31, 2027. For now, exact placement of the dozen trolls across the property has not been detailed.
