An 18-ft. tall troll made of cement clutchs an old VW car underneath this Seattle overpass. The car is an actual Volkswagen encased in concrete; it bears a California license plate.
The Troll was constructed in 1990 after winning a Fremont Arts Council competition for designs to improve the freeway underpass that was a dumping ground. He was sculpted by four local artists: Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter, and Ross Whitehead.
The troll has had a rough go of it, and is often getting spraypainted, the last incident involving giving the troll green fingernails, tattoos, fangs, and a green eye.
The paint can't be easily removed from the troll and to cover it a fresh layer of concrete is added every time, so over time the troll has been growing blobby concrete lumps. While painting it is poor form, climbing on it is encouraged.
