Michael Jackson HIStory Statue

In 1995, Sony Music commissioned ten identical 33-foot (10-meter) fiberglass statues of pop icon Michael Jackson to promote the album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. Installed in major cities worldwide, they formed one of the decade's most talked-about publicity stunts. Nearly all have since been damaged, destroyed, or lost.

One of those ten statues, after spending years outside a nightclub in Austria, resurfaced in June 2026 on the grounds of an auto detailing shop on the outskirts of the small city of Ängelholm, of all places. The business is run by George Buzatu, who fulfilled a 30-year dream by purchasing the statue and having it shipped to Sweden.

The fiberglass giant crossed into Sweden by truck and ferry via Trelleborg harbor in spring 2026, where it happened to be caught on camera by a crew filming the reality series Border Security Sweden. The inspection by customs staff was later featured in an episode of the series.

Reactions in Ängelholm, where the statue is now on permanent display, have been mixed. One local artist called the piece artistically hollow, a mass-produced attention-grabber rather than a work of genuine craftsmanship, while another welcomed it as a playful, rebellious addition to the townscape.

Some residents have questioned the propriety of celebrating Jackson, given the child sexual abuse allegations that shadowed his career. Buzatu counters that he wanted to celebrate the singer's music and legacy, noting that Jackson was acquitted at trial.