The South County Tourism Council is bringing big things to Rhode Island. By big things, we mean giant trolls made of recycled and reclaimed wood by renowned Danish artist, Thomas Dambo. To start, two trolls will be unveiled in Ninigret Park in May 2024. More will follow, according to South County Tourism President, Louise Bishop, “we hope to have a few more trolls in the future to connect the state and form a Rhode Island ‘troll trail’,” she says.
Thomas Dambo is the world’s leading recycle artist. His art is in more than 20 countries on 5 continents, including the USA, China, Brazil, Australia, GB, Germany, France, South Korea, Chile, and Puerto Rico. There are 125 Thomas Dambo trolls in the world, and 44 of those are in the USA.
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“I am very much looking much forward to coming to Rhode Island. My wife comes from New England, so I really love the area. I came last year for a site visit, I got to see so much of the beautiful area. I have a good idea for an installation with some really big stones. And if I have one obsession, it is that I like big stones”, states Thomas Dambo.
Bishop is passionate about public art and sees it as a wonderful and beautiful addition to the region’s natural beauty. The fact that Dambo’s work is environmentally conscious and invites people to enjoy and appreciate nature makes it a perfect match for South County where nature takes center stage.
“When I first saw the Thomas Dambo Trolls at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, I knew they were just what South County needed as an attraction. I love that they’re eco-conscious and so unique and will be an additional economic driver for the state. They will put Rhode Island, not just South County, on the map,” Bishop says.
The South County Tourism Council’s mission is to market the region outside the state to attract visitors. Since taking over as president in 2016, Louise Bishop has more than doubled the region’s operating budget with her creative initiatives such as the Atlantis RIsing International Sand Sculpture Competition, expanding the council’s marketing to a wider audience via digital and streaming, attending both trade and consumer travel shows and creating innovative marketing campaigns from the Golden Ticket Getaway, to billboards and vehicle wraps.
Dambo and his team will arrive in South County next month to start building the trolls and they are looking for help from local volunteers. If you’re interested in volunteering to help build a troll, please contact Joy Cordio at jcordio@southcountyri.com.
Thomas Dambo will be available to media for interviews on April 19th from 9-11 AM and May 3rd, from 3-5 PM. Please contact Faye Pantazopoulos if there are any questions or scheduling conflicts at faye@southcountyri.com.
www.southcountyri.com/thomas-dambo-trolls/
