For years, the towering HIStory statue stood as a bold tribute to Michael Jackson’s legacy in Best, Netherlands. Installed outside a McDonald’s in the mid-1990s, it became a curious roadside landmark and a pilgrimage spot for fans. But in 2019, following the backlash sparked by the documentary Leaving Neverland, the statue was quietly removed. What followed was a swirl of rumors, some claimed it had been purchased by a fan club, others whispered about an eccentric private collector.
The Dutch statue, in reality, remained in a warehouse, waiting for a new home.
Now, a massive HIStory statue has reappeared in Sweden, but this time, it tells a different story.
Recent reports confirm that a ten-metre Michael Jackson statue has arrived in Ängelholm, set to become a new public attraction. The fiberglass monument is one of the iconic replicas created in 1995 as part of the global promotional campaign for HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, when Sony deployed multiple giant statues across the world.
However, this newly surfaced statue is not the one from Best.
Instead, evidence points toward a different European piece, one that had been privately owned in Austria. As previously reported, this particular statue, owned by Franz Josef Zika, was put up for sale via Facebook after standing for years on private property. The land was due for redevelopment, prompting the sale of the towering monument.
After years out of the spotlight, that same statue now appears to have found a new destination.
Its journey into Sweden was even documented on television, with Border Guards Sweden capturing the moment it passed through customs in Trelleborg. At the time, the buyer remained unknown. Local investigations later revealed that the new owner is a private individual who has chosen to stay anonymous, for now.
While the exact price remains undisclosed, reports suggest the statue changed hands for a significant sum, though likely below the original asking price and estimated to £8,000.
The reappearance of the HIStory statue comes in a very different cultural climate than when it was first unveiled in the mid-1990s. Michael Jackson’s legacy continues to be debated, particularly following renewed allegations brought back into public discussion in 2019. Yet, as seen over the years, interest in his artistry and cultural impact has never disappeared.
The new owner seems to lean into that perspective.
“It’s going to be fun for the fans and those who love music,” the buyer said. “Some kind of entertainment point or attraction.”
And so, while the Best statue remains in storage, another giant from the HIStory era rises again, this time in Sweden, reminding us that these monuments, much like the legacy they represent, continue to travel, evolve, and spark conversation decades later. Could Ängelholm become a new pilgrimage for fans?
