“The troll” mural by Smug

Updated October 31, 2025

## “The Troll” Mural by Smug in Malmö (Holma): How to Find It, What to Know, and Why It Matters

“The Troll” is one of Malmö’s most talked-about pieces of large-scale street art: an eight-storey, hyper-real mural painted by Australian-born, Glasgow-based artist **Smug (Sam Bates)** on an apartment block in **Holma**. It faces **Snödroppsgatan** (approx. **55.57156, 12.98578**), a short hop from Hyllie. The work was created for **ARTSCAPE 2014**, Sweden’s first major street-art festival, which invited international heavyweights (D*Face, Phlegm, Natalia Rak, Cyrcle) to turn Malmö into an open-air gallery. (https://artscape.se/festivals/2014-malmo/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

> **Status check (important):** community-curated database Street Art Cities lists “Giant troll” at **Snödroppsgatan 3** as **“Removed.”** Some guides and blogs published after 2019 still show it, but before you detour, assume it *might* be gone or repainted and verify on-site or via recent social posts. If you find it painted over, Holma still has other murals within a 2-minute walk (see the D*Face note below). [ Art Cities](https://streetartcities.com/markers/13243?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

—

### Quick facts

– **Artist:** Smug (Sam Bates), photo-real specialist known for large, cinematic figures.
– **Year & festival:** Painted for **ARTSCAPE Malmö 2014**; the festival ran 12 May–8 June and permanently installed multiple works across the city. (https://artscape.se/festivals/2014-malmo/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
– **Scale & effort:** Commonly described as **~8 storeys high**; documentary coverage notes the Holma troll took **about five days** to complete. [ Culture Map](https://theculturemap.com/street-art-murals-malmo-sweden/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
– **Location:** **Snödroppsgatan**, Holma district (southwest Malmö; near Hyllie). Coordinates roughly **55.57156, 12.98578**. [ Globetrotting](https://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/the-troll-by-smug-one/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
– **Nearby companion piece:** **D*Face – “Last Embrace Before Departure,”** around the corner on the same block. [ Nomad](https://www.swedishnomad.com/malmo-street-art/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

—

## Why this mural resonated

Smug’s hallmark is photo-real skin tones and micro-expressions at building scale. On the Holma facade, the troll’s posture and gaze read more **intimate than monstrous**—a playful nod to Scandinavian folklore without caricature. In 2014 Malmö’s ARTSCAPE intentionally sited works in **residential areas** (not just the center), which is why Holma—primarily housing blocks—hosts such a marquee piece. The curatorial intent was to normalize public art in everyday spaces, not only in museums. (https://artscape.se/festivals/2014-malmo/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

If you’re mapping out street art in Malmö for photography or editorial, the **Holma cluster** is invaluable: even if the Troll has been painted over since certain guides were written, the area’s density of festival-era walls keeps it relevant for visual storytelling. [ Nomad](https://www.swedishnomad.com/malmo-street-art/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

—

## Getting there (without wasting time)

– **Train to Hyllie** (Öresundståg or Pågatågen) from Malmö C (~7 minutes), then **bus 6 or 10** a couple of stops toward Holma/Snödroppsgatan; on foot it’s ~15–20 minutes from Hyllie station depending on your route. Always check Skånetrafiken live times. (https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Malm%C3%B6/Hyllie?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
– **On foot / bike:** If you’re already in Hyllie’s shopping/conference zone, a **short walk or bike** gets you to **Snödroppsgatan**; plan a loop that also passes **Hylliebadet** and **Holma Torg** so you catch satellites and line-of-sight angles down side streets. (https://busmaps.com/en/sweden/public_transit-stop-Malm%C3%B6-Hylliebadet-5772124918705115904?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

**Wayfinding tip:** Some older blog pins place the mural generically on Snödroppsgatan; verify the **building corner closest to the D*Face wall**—they’re essentially neighbors, which helps you triangulate quickly. [ Nomad](https://www.swedishnomad.com/malmo-street-art/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

—

## What to photograph (and how)

– **Perspective:** A **28–35 mm** lens from across **Snödroppsgatan** lets you frame from street level to roofline. For compression shots with the Holma skyline, step back to the next cross-street and use **50–85 mm**.
– **Light:** The facade catches **soft, even light** on overcast days (common in Malmö) which reduces glare on mid-tones—ideal for Smug’s skin texture.
– **Detail frames:** If the piece is still present, focus on **hands and hair highlights**—Smug renders those with painterly nuance that reproduces well for editorial.
– **Backup plan:** If the Troll has been replaced or buffed, pivot to **D*Face** around the corner; the pop-art palette handles harsh light better and gives you a contrasting visual for the same article route. [ Nomad](https://www.swedishnomad.com/malmo-street-art/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

**Respect & access:** This is (or was) a residential facade. Keep noise low, avoid doorways and drive entries, and don’t shoot into windows. Malmö’s street-art culture thrives because visitors treat it as **public art, not a theme park**.

—

## Pair it with these nearby pieces

– **D*Face – “Last Embrace Before Departure,”** Holma (adjacent block). Think **bold comic-panel color** next to Smug’s realism—great for a two-image spread contrasting styles from the same festival year. [ Nomad](https://www.swedishnomad.com/malmo-street-art/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
– **Natalia Rak – “The Magic Book,”** **Grynbodagatan 9** (Gamla Väster): a fantasy scene of a girl with octopus tentacles emerging from a book—one of Malmö’s most photographed murals downtown. [ Nomad](https://www.swedishnomad.com/malmo-street-art/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

—

## Context: ARTSCAPE’s Malmö chapter

ARTSCAPE 2014 was **Sweden’s first large-scale street-art festival**, deliberately distributing works across neighborhoods. The organizers emphasize **permanent installations** where possible; over time, a few walls in the city have inevitably changed—typical for living street-art ecosystems—but the **festival’s footprint** remains a solid foundation for route-planning. (https://artscape.se/festivals/2014-malmo/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

—

## Practical route for a 90-minute street-art loop

1. **Start at Hyllie Station** (trains every ~10 minutes from Malmö C). (https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Hyllie-Station/Malm%C3%B6?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
2. Walk or ride **north to Holma / Snödroppsgatan**. Check whether **Smug’s Troll** is currently visible; if not, document the **site context** plus **D*Face** next door for a “then/now” editorial angle. [ Art Cities](https://streetartcities.com/markers/13243?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
3. Bus **6 or 10** back toward central Malmö; disembark near **Grynbodagatan** to shoot **Natalia Rak** (and the adjacent Ola Kalnins). [ Nomad](https://www.swedishnomad.com/malmo-street-art/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

—

## FAQs & accuracy notes

– **Is the Troll still there?** Street Art Cities flags it as **Removed** at **Snödroppsgatan 3**. Because murals can be restored, re-painted, or re-photographed from archives, you’ll still see it in recent social posts and blogs. Treat live status as **uncertain** and verify the week you visit. [ Art Cities](https://streetartcities.com/markers/13243?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
– **Who is Smug?** Sam Bates, known as **Smug One**, an Australian-born, Glasgow-based artist celebrated for **photo-real** wall portraits internationally. (Background appears in festival materials and multiple profiles tied to ARTSCAPE projects.) (https://www.instagram.com/reel/BXK44VAlEjv/?hl=fi&utm_source=chatgpt.com)
– **How long did it take?** Festival media indicate roughly **five days** for the Holma Troll—useful for readers curious about logistics at this scale. [ TV](https://artbrowser.tv/programs/artscape-smugmp4-873612?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

—

## Keep exploring Malmö’s street art

– Holma’s walls are the **southwest anchor**; **Gamla Väster** and **Möllevången** host clusterable stops for a second hour. A reliable planning resource is to search for “Malmö street art map” plus **ARTSCAPE 2014** to identify the confirmed permanent pieces and their current status. (https://artscape.se/festivals/2014-malmo/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

—

### Helpful internal reads

– **[Street Art in Malmö: Map, Etiquette, and Photo Angles](/sweden/malmo-street-art)** – deeper route-planning with a printable map and lens notes.
– **[Best Things to Do in Malmö (Beyond Turning Torso)](/sweden/things-to-do-in-malmo)** – neighborhoods, cafés, and parks to combine with your Holma loop.

—

### Final word on accuracy

Public murals are **dynamic**. This guide cites the official ARTSCAPE record and cross-checks multiple independent sources for **location, authorship, festival year, and removal status**. Treat the Troll’s current visibility as **uncertain** (potentially removed or repainted), and plan backup shots in Holma to make the trip worthwhile regardless. (https://artscape.se/festivals/2014-malmo/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Key Highlights

Artist: Smug (Sam Bates), photo-real specialist known for large, cinematic figures.
Year & festival: Painted for ARTSCAPE Malmö 2014; the festival ran 12 May–8 June and permanently installed multiple works across the city. oai_citation:2‡Artscape
Scale & effort: Commonly described as ~8 storeys high; documentary coverage notes the Holma troll took about five days to complete. oai_citation:3‡The Culture Map
Location: Snödroppsgatan, Holma district (southwest Malmö; near Hyllie). Coordinates roughly 55.57156, 12.98578. oai_citation:4‡Virtual Globetrotting
Nearby companion piece: D*Face – “Last Embrace Before Departure,” around the corner on the same block. oai_citation:5‡Swedish Nomad

Location

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“The Troll” Mural by Smug in Malmö (Holma): How to Find It, What to Know, and Why It Matters

“The Troll” is one of Malmö’s most talked-about pieces of large-scale street art: an eight-storey, hyper-real mural painted by Australian-born, Glasgow-based artist Smug (Sam Bates) on an apartment block in Holma. It faces Snödroppsgatan (approx. 55.57156, 12.98578), a short hop from Hyllie. The work was created for ARTSCAPE 2014, Sweden’s first major street-art festival, which invited international heavyweights (D*Face, Phlegm, Natalia Rak, Cyrcle) to turn Malmö into an open-air gallery. oai_citation:0‡Artscape

Status check (important): community-curated database Street Art Cities lists “Giant troll” at Snödroppsgatan 3 as “Removed.” Some guides and blogs published after 2019 still show it, but before you detour, assume it might be gone or repainted and verify on-site or via recent social posts. If you find it painted over, Holma still has other murals within a 2-minute walk (see the D*Face note below). oai_citation:1‡Street Art Cities

Quick facts

• Artist: Smug (Sam Bates), photo-real specialist known for large, cinematic figures.
• Year & festival: Painted for ARTSCAPE Malmö 2014; the festival ran 12 May–8 June and permanently installed multiple works across the city. oai_citation:2‡Artscape
• Scale & effort: Commonly described as ~8 storeys high; documentary coverage notes the Holma troll took about five days to complete. oai_citation:3‡The Culture Map
• Location: Snödroppsgatan, Holma district (southwest Malmö; near Hyllie). Coordinates roughly 55.57156, 12.98578. oai_citation:4‡Virtual Globetrotting
• Nearby companion piece: D*Face – “Last Embrace Before Departure,” around the corner on the same block. oai_citation:5‡Swedish Nomad

Why this mural resonated

Smug’s hallmark is photo-real skin tones and micro-expressions at building scale. On the Holma facade, the troll’s posture and gaze read more intimate than monstrous—a playful nod to Scandinavian folklore without caricature. In 2014 Malmö’s ARTSCAPE intentionally sited works in residential areas (not just the center), which is why Holma—primarily housing blocks—hosts such a marquee piece. The curatorial intent was to normalize public art in everyday spaces, not only in museums. oai_citation:6‡Artscape

If you’re mapping out street art in Malmö for photography or editorial, the Holma cluster is invaluable: even if the Troll has been painted over since certain guides were written, the area’s density of festival-era walls keeps it relevant for visual storytelling. oai_citation:7‡Swedish Nomad

Getting there (without wasting time)

• Train to Hyllie (Öresundståg or Pågatågen) from Malmö C (~7 minutes), then bus 6 or 10 a couple of stops toward Holma/Snödroppsgatan; on foot it’s ~15–20 minutes from Hyllie station depending on your route. Always check Skånetrafiken live times. oai_citation:8‡Rome2Rio
• On foot / bike: If you’re already in Hyllie’s shopping/conference zone, a short walk or bike gets you to Snödroppsgatan; plan a loop that also passes Hylliebadet and Holma Torg so you catch satellites and line-of-sight angles down side streets. oai_citation:9‡BusMaps

Wayfinding tip: Some older blog pins place the mural generically on Snödroppsgatan; verify the building corner closest to the D*Face wall—they’re essentially neighbors, which helps you triangulate quickly. oai_citation:10‡Swedish Nomad

What to photograph (and how)

• Perspective: A 28–35 mm lens from across Snödroppsgatan lets you frame from street level to roofline. For compression shots with the Holma skyline, step back to the next cross-street and use 50–85 mm.
• Light: The facade catches soft, even light on overcast days (common in Malmö) which reduces glare on mid-tones—ideal for Smug’s skin texture.
• Detail frames: If the piece is still present, focus on hands and hair highlights—Smug renders those with painterly nuance that reproduces well for editorial.
• Backup plan: If the Troll has been replaced or buffed, pivot to D*Face around the corner; the pop-art palette handles harsh light better and gives you a contrasting visual for the same article route. oai_citation:11‡Swedish Nomad

Respect & access: This is (or was) a residential facade. Keep noise low, avoid doorways and drive entries, and don’t shoot into windows. Malmö’s street-art culture thrives because visitors treat it as public art, not a theme park.

Pair it with these nearby pieces

• D*Face – “Last Embrace Before Departure,” Holma (adjacent block). Think bold comic-panel color next to Smug’s realism—great for a two-image spread contrasting styles from the same festival year. oai_citation:12‡Swedish Nomad
• Natalia Rak – “The Magic Book,” Grynbodagatan 9 (Gamla Väster): a fantasy scene of a girl with octopus tentacles emerging from a book—one of Malmö’s most photographed murals downtown. oai_citation:13‡Swedish Nomad

Context: ARTSCAPE’s Malmö chapter

ARTSCAPE 2014 was Sweden’s first large-scale street-art festival, deliberately distributing works across neighborhoods. The organizers emphasize permanent installations where possible; over time, a few walls in the city have inevitably changed—typical for living street-art ecosystems—but the festival’s footprint remains a solid foundation for route-planning. oai_citation:14‡Artscape

Practical route for a 90-minute street-art loop

1. Start at Hyllie Station (trains every ~10 minutes from Malmö C). oai_citation:15‡Rome2Rio
2. Walk or ride north to Holma / Snödroppsgatan. Check whether Smug’s Troll is currently visible; if not, document the site context plus D*Face next door for a “then/now” editorial angle. oai_citation:16‡Street Art Cities
3. Bus 6 or 10 back toward central Malmö; disembark near Grynbodagatan to shoot Natalia Rak (and the adjacent Ola Kalnins). oai_citation:17‡Swedish Nomad

FAQs & accuracy notes

• Is the Troll still there? Street Art Cities flags it as Removed at Snödroppsgatan 3. Because murals can be restored, re-painted, or re-photographed from archives, you’ll still see it in recent social posts and blogs. Treat live status as uncertain and verify the week you visit. oai_citation:18‡Street Art Cities
• Who is Smug? Sam Bates, known as Smug One, an Australian-born, Glasgow-based artist celebrated for photo-real wall portraits internationally. (Background appears in festival materials and multiple profiles tied to ARTSCAPE projects.) oai_citation:19‡Instagram
• How long did it take? Festival media indicate roughly five days for the Holma Troll—useful for readers curious about logistics at this scale. oai_citation:20‡ArtBrowser TV

Keep exploring Malmö’s street art

• Holma’s walls are the southwest anchor; Gamla Väster and Möllevången host clusterable stops for a second hour. A reliable planning resource is to search for “Malmö street art map” plus ARTSCAPE 2014 to identify the confirmed permanent pieces and their current status. oai_citation:21‡Artscape

Helpful internal reads

• Street Art in Malmö: Map, Etiquette, and Photo Angles – deeper route-planning with a printable map and lens notes.
• Best Things to Do in Malmö (Beyond Turning Torso) – neighborhoods, cafés, and parks to combine with your Holma loop.

Final word on accuracy

Public murals are dynamic. This guide cites the official ARTSCAPE record and cross-checks multiple independent sources for location, authorship, festival year, and removal status. Treat the Troll’s current visibility as uncertain (potentially removed or repainted), and plan backup shots in Holma to make the trip worthwhile regardless. oai_citation:22‡Artscape