Artist creates giant wood sculptures and hides them in Copenhagen forests

Artist creates giant wood sculptures and hides them in Copenhagen forests

By David Rowlinson  February 5th, 2019

Over the last three years, Danish artist Thomas Dambo has been creating enormous sculptures from recycled materials. Most recently, he sprinkled six of his friendly giants around Copenhagen as a way to encourage people to visit the offbeat areas of his hometown.

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Article first appeared in My Modern Met

Over the last three years, Danish artist Thomas Dambo has been creating enormous sculptures from recycled materials. Most recently, he sprinkled six of his friendly giants around Copenhagen as a way to encourage people to visit the offbeat areas of his hometown.

The giant sculptures are a group effort, with local volunteers helping Dambo assemble the works. Made from 600 wood pallets, a shed, and an old fence, the scavenged wood comes together to produce incredible hidden giants. Each is named after a volunteer and can be found using a map Dambo prepared or a poem engraved into stones near the sculptures. “It invites the viewers to go on a treasure hunt, not only to see the sculptures, but also to discover hidden gems in nature,” Dambo shares.

Each piece interacts with the environment. For instance, Teddy Friendly, which was produced in conjunction with a local activation centre and provided work for four unemployed people, sits next to a lake. His arm extended, he actually helps people across the tiny stream that feeds into the river. Little Tilde, located in an area filled with nature and wildlife, also furnishes a home for the animals she idly watches. Dambo filled the sculpture with 28 bird houses, establishing this give and take.

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By David Rowlinson

Make it Wood Program Manager

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