Isak Heartstone Once Again Takes Shape- This Time In The Forest Outside Of Breckenridge
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4)- The beloved-- and detested-- troll is back in Breckenridge. Hidden away in the forest outside of town, workers once again put together Isak Heartstone.
Colorado's famous troll is being constructed out of recycled materials.
When Danish artist Thomas Dambo started building trolls, he never imagined his work of art would become so famous around the world. He certainly didn't imagine it would create such a controversy in Breckenridge last summer.
"I'm sitting back in Copenhagen and seeing this whole frenzy about the sculpture... there's so many people coming to visit, it becomes a problem," Thomas Dambo said.
RELATED: Isak Heartstone To Be Rebuilt In New Location'
It was his Isak Heartstone that drew thousands to the Colorado mountain town last summer. There were so many people that the town was forced to remove the art installation over safety reasons.
Now, Isak is being reborn in a new location, far away from neighborhoods this time.
"Changing the narrative of the story to the next chapter that we are creating now," Dambo said.
Following the destruction of the structure, a task force worked to find a new location.
The Town of Breckenridge convened a committee made up of town staff, people in the Breckenridge Creative Arts community and the Breckenridge Tourism Office, to explore the feasibility and logistics of a relocation.
This committee held regular meetings since Nov. 20, 2018, to discuss solutions, management strategies, and new locations based on specific criteria, like walkability, access to transit, and community impact.
"I think it has brought together staff and community members to say let's see what a new iteration of this sculpture of Isak hearthstone could look like," Haley Littleton with the Town of Breckenridge said.
This time wider trails are being constructed to the troll as he's being assembled once again.
"It is pretty special. We work with so many passionate people, the things we do with recycling what is so special we are showing you," A volunteer builder told CBS4 at the new build site Friday.
What Isak looks like now and his exact location aren't being revealed because that is something the artist wants visitors to discover for themselves.
"I'm super happy I can tell my story about recycling and share it with everybody," Dambo said.
Crews will keep piecing together the new Isak, reusing the original sculpture's head. The trail is expected to be open to the public in early June.
"We are so appreciative that the Town of Breckenridge is investing in a re-imagined Isak Heartstone," said Robb Woulfe, president and CEO of Breckenridge Creative Arts, the organization that commissioned the town's original troll sculpture. "These types of public art experiences, which are enjoyed by residents and visitors alike, are one of the things that makes our community so special."
When you visit, Breckenridge officials are asking people who visit to consider taking public free transportation to access the trail near the Ice Skating Rink located south of downtown Breckenridge.
