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Photo: Thomas Dambos’ exhibition on waste at ARKEN. Photo: Kavian Borhani14 refrigerators, 10 car tires, 3 ceramic toilets, and a Bible.
It sounds like the start of a classic B-movie heist. But it was actually just a few items from the 23-page wish list that ARGO received from artist Thomas Dambo.
On May 24,The Garbage Manopens at ARKEN in Ishøj. The exhibition was created by Thomas Dambo, who is known worldwide for his large troll sculptures made from recycled materials.
ARGO is an official partner of the exhibition and has contributed discarded items from their recycling centres and ARGO’s second-hand store Gensalg. The staff at the recycling centre in Køge, in particular, have been on the hunt for the many items to be used in the exhibition.
Thomas Dambo explains:
“For me, it’s about seeing possibilities in things others have given up on. An old rocking horse, a car tire, or a refrigerator has already lived a life. When we build with them, they get a new story. That’s why it’s been fantastic that ARGO and the staff at the recycling centres have helped find both everyday objects and the quirky items that make up the exhibition.”
For ARGO, this partnership is about showcasing recycling in a different way than what is typically seen at recycling centres. Our CEO, Jeppe Danø, says:
“This really hits the nail on the head when it comes to what we do every day. A recycling centre is not just about containers, sorting, and operations. It’s also about seeing the value in what others have discarded. Thomas Dambo brings that idea to life in a creative and imaginative way.”
Thomas Dambo in his workshop. Photo: Thomas Dambo
Thomas Dambo is one of the world’s most prominent artists in the field of recycled art. He has created more than 175 large troll sculptures from recycled materials around the world and works under the mission “Waste No More.” His works are based on the intersection of art, nature, imagination, and materials that others have discarded.
For the staff at ARGO, this collaboration has been a unique challenge. Normally, the work at our recycling centres involves ensuring that items are properly sorted for direct reuse, recycling, or other processing. In their work with The Garbage Man, however, the task has been to find precisely those odd, quirky, and unique items that could become part of a work of art.
Among the items ARGO has found for the exhibition are a rocking horse, a football table, refrigerators, kitchenware, toys, toilets, and a pink plastic Christmas tree.
"The Garbage Man " will be on view at ARKEN from May 24 to November 29, 2026.
Listen to Jakob and Anders from the recycling centre Køge in tell about the quirky items they’ve discovered through their work:
The exhibition opens on May 24, 2026, and runs through November 29, 2026.
ARGO is an official partner and has contributed discarded materials and reusable items from our recycling centres and our second-hand stores Gensalg.
Since 2014, Thomas Dambo has been creating artworks from discarded materials in more than 20 countries. He is best known for his more than 175 large troll sculptures made from recycled materials.
The exhibition focuses on waste, consumption, imagination, community, and reuse.
In 2025, ARGO’s 14 recycling centres received over 160,000 tonnes of waste and had more than 1.7 million visits.
More than 80 percent of the items dropped off at the recycling centres were recycled.