Michael Jackson HIStory: The Legacy of the Floating Statues
In June 1995, a massive statue of Michael Jackson was floated down the River Thames in London to promote his album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The 32ft pop colossus was one of 10 statues created for this purpose and followed Jackson on his global tour. The album featured a mix of his greatest hits and new tracks, including the popular Earth Song. The statues were created by sculptor Diana Walczak and artist Stephen Pyle, who worked with a team to build them in Hertfordshire. Some of these statues are still on display in various locations around the world.
One of the statues found an unlikely home in a McDonald's car park in the Netherlands, where it became a popular spot for Jackson fans to visit. However, after the release of the Leaving Neverland documentary in 2019, the statue was removed due to new allegations against Jackson. The owner of the restaurant where the statue was located hopes to donate it to a fan club but faces challenges due to its size and the need for a building permit.
Another statue of Jackson was acquired at a charity auction in Austria and placed in the courtyard of an abandoned club. The owner now seeks to sell the statue to make way for a new business venture at the venue. In Lausanne, Switzerland, a Jackson statue is part of an annual fairground event called Luna Park, adding to the colorful atmosphere of the event. The statue has been refurbished and is not currently on display.
In South Africa, a repainted Jackson statue still stands at the abandoned Santarama Miniland in Johannesburg. The park, which once showcased the country in miniature, now lies in disrepair, but the MJ monolith remains visible. In Milan, Italy, Europark Idroscalo Milano unveiled a restored Jackson statue in 2019 after a Jackson-themed flash mob. The statue, which had been abandoned for years, was restored and put up for sale by the park's owners.