In June 1995, a remarkable sight unfolded in London: a 32ft (10m) statue of Michael Jackson, majestically floated down the River Thames on a barge.
This colossal figure was one of ten placed globally to promote Jackson’s album, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I.
These fiberglass titans accompanied the King of Pop on his subsequent world tour.
Three decades later, and sixteen years after his passing, the legacy of Michael Jackson remains a subject of both acclaim and controversy. Yet, several of these statues endure, standing defiantly in unexpected locations worldwide.
Jackson’s double album masterfully blended his greatest hits with fifteen new tracks, including the chart-topping “Earth Song,” which reigned supreme on the UK charts for six weeks.
In the United States, sculptor Diana Walczak collaborated with Jackson, creating a clay sculpture that served as the digital foundation for the album’s cover art.
Hertfordshire-based artist Stephen Pyle, renowned for his work on The Phantom of the Opera, was commissioned by a Sony employee (not the singer) to construct ten monumental statues based on this iconic album art.
He engaged sculptor Derek Howarth, who meticulously crafted the polystyrene sections that formed the basis for the fiberglass casts.
Assembly and painting, to achieve a stone-like finish, took place at Chris and Liz Clark’s Elstree Studios workshop in Hertfordshire.
The team worked independently of Walczak’s original prototype, resulting in subtle variations among the statues.
Pyle recalls, “Producing ten statues in four months presented a significant challenge. However, thanks to Derek, Chris, Liz, and the rest of the workshop team, we transformed into a highly efficient production line for Michael Jackson monoliths!”
The current whereabouts of some statues remain unknown, with potential storage or destruction. Others, however, continue to be publicly displayed in remarkable locations.
For many years, a majestic King of Pop statue dominated the McDonald’s car park in Best, Netherlands.
Restaurant owner Peter Van Gelder acquired the statue at a 1996 charity gala for the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
“The restaurant was newly opened and lacked the iconic golden arches,” he explains. “My intention was to use the statue as a striking visual attraction.”
Jackson fans flocked to the site, taking photos and playing his music. The crowds became so large that fencing was necessary to prevent people climbing on it. It became an impromptu shrine on Jackson’s birthday and death anniversary.
The landscape shifted in 2019 following HBO’s Leaving Neverland documentary, which reignited allegations of child sexual abuse against Jackson.
“The Netherlands didn’t react as strongly, and I initially intended to leave the statue in place,” Peter notes.
However, pressure from McDonald’s US headquarters led to its removal and storage in a confidential location.
McDonald’s stated to the BBC, “Following the documentary in 2019, the decision was made to remove the statue. We believe it’s crucial for all our guests to feel comfortable in our restaurants.”
Peter hopes to donate the statue to a fan club, but obtaining the necessary building permit for such a large piece poses a significant hurdle. “Many have expressed interest, but no one has secured a permit,” he says.
“Time has passed since his death, and interest in the statue has waned… So, the Michael Jackson statue rests under a tarp in an unremarkable shed.”
An abandoned club’s courtyard, 18 miles (30km) west of Vienna, is an unexpected setting for a towering Michael Jackson effigy.
Owner Franz Josef Zika won the statue in a 1998 Red Cross radio charity auction, paying 150,000 Austrian Schillings (£9,300).
He recalls, “The biggest challenge was breaking the news to my uncle, the family head, who thought I was insane!”
Patrons of The Baby’O in Judenau-Baumgarten might have been surprised to find Michael Jackson gracing the smoking area. Franz viewed it as effective club promotion.
“Several bars were nearby, creating a lively atmosphere around the statue,” he adds.
The club’s closure last year, due to nearby construction, necessitates the statue’s removal.
Franz seeks a buyer for a new cafe or pizzeria at the location, but first, the pop monolith must go.
He states, “I’ve been trying to sell it for two years. I’d be happy to receive €25,000 (£21,000) for it.
“There’s been interest from Sweden and Hungary, but funding remains a barrier.”
If a buyer isn’t found? “We’ll see. Maybe I’ll send it to Mars. Elon Musk can help!” he jokes.
For over half a century, Lausanne, Switzerland’s Luna Park has hosted an annual fairground event.
Amidst the bright lights and rides, another Jackson statue resides.
It has been subtly refurbished, with gold accents added to his faux-military uniform.
Organizers told the BBC they purchased it in 2008 from a man who had previously acquired it from Sony.
The statue hasn’t been displayed for several years, the reasons remain unstated, but it’s emphatically not for sale.
During Jackson’s South African HIStory tour, one statue accompanied him.
Santarama Miniland, a Johannesburg miniature park established in the 1970s, is now derelict.
Attractions have been removed, the miniature train is defunct, but a repainted MJ monolith remains, visible on Google Earth.
Blogger Heather Mason of 2summers.net visited in 2013.
She recounts, “It was surreal to see a giant blue Michael Jackson statue amidst Miniland’s miniature theme. It was definitely the park’s best photo opportunity!”
A fresh coat of paint and new sunglasses barely disguise this fiberglass figure.
In June 2019, Europark Idroscalo Milano unveiled a “restored” statue after a Jackson-themed flash mob.
An announcer declared, “This statue is dedicated to those who continue to love him through the years.”
This dramatic reveal followed closely after the Leaving Neverland documentary.
A park spokesperson informed the BBC that the statue, purchased after the tour, remained abandoned for years before finding its place in the park.
They explained that the statue’s face was concealed for a period following the abuse allegations, as the then-owners “didn’t want to portray MJ welcoming children, so it was transformed into an almost robot-like figure.”
Despite restoration efforts, the refurbished statue is now for sale.
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