With their joyful faces sometimes a bit melancholic, his sculptures several meters high are often placed at the bend of a path or a forest on the edge of major cities, from Australia to South Korea, via the United States or Belgium, to encourage city dwellers to rediscover nature.

The 99 statues all have a position already known on a map held by the artist (trollmap.com). But in recent weeks, Thomas Dambo has hidden clues in the form of metal QR codes to find his hundredth creation.

"I decided to make it a super secret and make it a complex treasure hunt," the Copenhagen-based artist told AFP.

At the moment, it is impossible to know where exactly "Moon Mother" is. A few happy few, including AFP, had the chance to discover it, but after a car ride with tinted windows.

The sculpted work "Måne Mor" (Mother Moon) by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, installed in an unspecified location in Denmark, March 23, 2023 © James Brooks / AFP

Six meters tall, the matron with the face made from scraps of wood, came deep into a wood to give birth, according to the story imagined by Dambo.

Finding her promises to be an adventure. For a long time even the artist's collaborators did not know his location.

Mythology

Former graffiti artist and rapper, Thomas Dambo launched his project in 2014, after making two first trolls for a music festival.

"All over Scandinavia, we have trolls in our mythology and folklore," he says.

The artist explains that he recomposes his childhood fairy tales through his sculpted giants that all have a name and a story of their own.

The recycled wooden statue "Kaptajn Nalle" by Danish sculptor Thomas Dambo is pictured in Copenhagen, March 23, 2023 © James Brooks / AFP

On this rainy Thursday in March, his team carefully attaches long wooden branches to create the troll's flowing hair.

"We opted for a wild, untamed hairstyle," jokes one of them.

According to Thomas Dambo's estimates, no less than ten million people visited his works, all still accessible except one, "Hector Protector" in Puerto Rico, swept away by Hurricane Maria in 2017.

All continents are home to trolls, with the exception of Africa.

Once the clues of the 99 giants have been collected - collectively - fans will have to find the secret place, solve an individual riddle.

"It's a little cryptic, a little difficult," relishes the visual artist. According to him, the mystery should be solved within two or three weeks.

With the desire to make the public think, in addition to getting them out of their homes.

The "Thomas on the Mountain" statue by Danish sculptor Thomas Dambo installed in Albertslund, Denmark, March 23, 2023 © James Brooks / AFP

"I hope my art can be part of the movement that shows people that waste is not disgusting and that it is not worthless," says the Dane.

"It's something that has the ability to push thousands of people to discover it as a treasure," the creator relishes.

© 2023 AFP