More than 70 volunteers are helping to build a giant wooden troll in western Iowa. The mythical creature is being constructed at the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn.
Erik Andersen, the museum’s interim executive director, says the troll being crafted by Danish recycle artist Thomas Dambo and his team. In the past 15 years, Anderson says Dambo has created different versions these trolls all over the world, with 70 of them just in the U.S.
“They have caught the public’s imagination,” Anderson says. “There are groups called troll hunters that seek these things out and design vacations and day trips around seeking out trolls, which in most places are somewhat hidden, but you can imagine in the Iowa prairie, they’re pretty easy to find.”
It’s much more than a sculpture, Anderson says. The trolls are works of art, and they embody creativity, sustainability, and storytelling, capturing the spirit of discovery and imagination that defines both Danish and Danish-American culture. He says the troll being constructed in Elk Horn is not your typical garden troll.
“The troll that we have agreed to help construct here at the museum will be something on the order of 20 feet tall and in a 30-foot-long longboat,” Anderson says. “It’s a major undertaking.”
The budget for the project is a little more than half-a-million dollars. Construction began April 6th and the troll is beginning to take shape.
“We’ve collected a little over 12,000 linear feet of lumber, of construction materials, mostly either reused or repurposed,” Anderson says. “There are some exceptions to that because there are some things you just can’t find, like boat ribs, but otherwise, this is a great use of pre-existing material being turned into something artistic.”
Each troll is unique with its own name, mission and story. Visitors to the Museum of Danish America can watch the troll come to life, but are being asked to maintain a respectful distance, as there is heavy machinery in operation as part of the construction process.
(By Ric Hanson, KJAN, Atlantic)