Thomas Dambo’s “Trolls: Save the Humans” will have its West Coast premiere when it opens at South Coast Botanic Garden on October 1. 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. The vision for the exhibit 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, much like the Garden’s history is one of the first botanic gardens built atop a sanitary landfill.
In this new traveling exhibition, produced by Imagine Exhibitions, 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, France, Germany, China, South Korea, Chile and more.
This installation features six young activist trolls who 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 humans to learn from. For example, Ronja Redeye, 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.
To further the exhibit’s message, South Coast Botanic Garden will host classes throughout the duration of the exhibit that are inspired by each of the 6 trolls in the exhibit, including:
- That’s SO Cal: Introduction to Growing our Native Plants (Inspired by Rosa Sunfinger, the Botanical Troll)
- From Trash to Treasure: Sustainable Jewelry Making (Inspired by Kamma Can, the Trash Troll)
- Mega Meditation Class, Whispers of Nature (Inspired by Sofus Lotus, the Listening Troll)
- Crafting Connections: Creating Bird Feeders Workshop (Inspired by Ibbi Pip, the Birdhouse Troll)
Tom Zaller, President and CEO of Imagine Exhibitions shared, “Imagine Exhibitions is proud to partner with Thomas Dambo to bring the creative vision of ‘Trolls: Save the Humans’ to South Coast Botanic Garden. We’re delighted to collaborate with the Garden on this incredible exhibition and to offer a new outdoor exhibition for visitors and bring yet another amazing adventure to their 87 acres.”
“We are always striving to bring exhibits to the Garden that are not only beautiful and interesting to see, but that have a strong message behind them, and Thomas Dambo’s ‘Trolls’ accomplishes both,” says Adrienne Nakashima, South Coast Botanic Garden’s CEO. “We want guests of all ages to reconnect with nature in a new way every time they visit the Garden, whether it’s their first time or if they are a Member and frequent guest. Thomas Dambo’s ability to bring awareness to such an important issue of reclamation and recycling with his folklore storytelling method makes it approachable and endearing to the general public.”
Come admire these larger-than-life creations on display at South Coast Botanic Garden, open daily to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., through January 14, 2024.
South Coast Botanic Garden
Thomas Dambo’s Trolls: Save the Humans
October 1 - January 14, 2024
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Free for Members. Up to $15 for non-members
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