Pease Park troll sculpture reduced to ashes after fire; investigation underway
Pease Park troll destroyed by fire
The giant Pease Park troll sculpture has been set on fire and destroyed, the Austin Fire Department confirms.
AUSTIN, Texas - The giant Pease Park troll sculpture has been set on fire and destroyed, the Austin Fire Department confirms.
What we know:
AFD says it received a call at just before 5:30 a.m. of flames at Pease Park.
The caller reported seeing them from where they were on Lamar.
Officials say the first crew arrived on scene at the Lamar location at around 5:35 a.m. but realized they wouldn't be able to access the site, relocated, and were able to extinguish the fire.
What we don't know:
The investigation is ongoing.
No official information about what caused the fire has been released.
What you can do:
Anyone with information on the fire is asked to call 1-877-434-7345.
What they're saying:
The Pease Park Conservancy says, "The troll sculpture in Pease Park was lost to a fire early this morning, and we are heartbroken alongside the community that cherished it."
"I kind of can't believe that this happened," Pease Park Conservancy CEO Nicole Netherton said.
"She was made mostly of wood. Most of her materials were recycled. The artist has a vision of using trash to make art, so it was all about 80% repurposed wood and material. Her hair was made of ash juniper roots, she wore a necklace of fossils and crystals, so she was really a special part of, had a lot of representation for Central Texas. She was sitting in the woods, she had a bowl that was to gather water to share with the wildlife," Netherton said.
While investigators, including arson dogs, work to figure out what caused the fire, the Pease Park Conservancy said it is also thinking about how people can remember what was lost.
"We're focusing on the investigation about what has happened and then being sure that all those people who found so much joy will have some way to commemorate that," Netherton said.
Artist reaction
Artist Thomas Dambo issued a statement following the fire, saying:
"I’m saddened and shocked by the news. Malin was built with love alongside hundreds of people in Austin. She belonged to the community and to the wonderful Pease Park she called home. I was so proud to see the old water tower from the Pickle Research Campus, along with cedar roots donated by locals, recycled and given new life through her. It hurts deeply to hear that it all went up in smoke. My heart is heavy as I process everything and await more information. It’s still too early to say what comes next. For now, I’m sending my love to everyone in Austin."
Local reaction
"It was here last night. I touched it. It was there," UT Austin student Sheaffer Teague said.
Teague said he visited the troll in Pease Park often.
"Sometimes I even play music sometimes over there, because I play flute and stuff," Teague said.
When he came back Thursday morning, he said he was shocked.
"It's gone, like there's nothing left," Teague said.
Teague said the troll brought something special to the park.
"We all kind of need whimsy right now and that was a big source of whimsy. And there's plenty of whimsy left in the rest of the park, but it's almost like the mascot of the whimsy," Teague said.
For Teague, he said losing the troll feels surprisingly personal.
"For all intents and purposes, it is not a living, breathing human person or anything, but it is, you know, part of me will miss it in kind of a like missing a childhood pet or something," Teague said.
Others placed flowers nearby to remember the beloved piece of the park.
The backstory:
New Pease Park troll sculpture unveiled
If you're in Pease Park, you can now find a giant wooden troll. The sculpture was unveiled Friday afternoon.
The troll sculpture was unveiled in March 2024.
It was designed by international recycling art activist Thomas Dambo who has created more than 100 trolls worldwide.
The sculpture is located north of Kingsbury commons at Pease Park and a wooded area with a mulch trail leads to the Thomas Dambo troll.
The location was picked following extensive community engagement and a review process with the City of Austin.
Troll sculpture to be installed at Pease Park
The city of Austin is making room for a new landmark. An oversized troll is coming to Pease Park, designed by international recycling art activist Thomas Dambo.
According to the Pease Park Conservancy, the majority of the wood used to build the troll has been sourced from Harvest Lumber, a sawmill dedicated to giving new life to Austin’s fallen trees.
The non-profit organization says that Dambo granted a 15-year exclusive license to the artwork in the park as long as the conservancy maintains the sculpture.
The Tejemos Foundation donated funds for the installation and maintenance of the troll.
The Source: Information from Austin Fire Department.