Oscar the Bird King - Atlas Obscura
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Oscar the Bird King

Vashon, Washington

Thomas Dambo's troll sculpture wears a crown with birdhouses on his head. 

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'Oscar the Bird King' is one of sculptor Thomas Dambo's ever-growing army of trolls.
'Oscar the Bird King' is one of sculptor Thomas Dambo's ever-growing army of trolls.
Another angle. March 2024. Qlyss (Atlas Obscura User)
Plaque explaining the art piece. Qlyss (Atlas Obscura User)
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Oscar is the seventh and largest troll in Danish sculptor Thomas Dambo’s “Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King” site-specific installation in the Pacific Northwest. While these sculptures draw heavily on Scandinavian folklore, the artist also collaborated with the Snoqualmie and Muckleshoot tribes on this particular set.

To date, Dambo has built more than 100 of these curious giants out of recycled materials around the globe. Oscar the Bird King is resplendent in repurposed wood scraps, shells, stones, and drift wood. His head is wreathed in a crown of birdhouses, so that feathered local residents can nest.

Know Before You Go

The troll sculpture is free to visit. 

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Published
March 20, 2024
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