As you recall, the HIStory Statue based in Best, Netherland within a McDonald’s carpark has been removed back in 2019 after the drama following the fake documentary “Leaving Neverland”. It was set there for over 20 years before the removal.
Since then, the statue has been resting in a nearby town’s warehouse waiting for a new living place.
The owner of the statue and McDonald Peter van Gelder was reluctant to remove it as “there is no hard evidence” of Michael Jackson being guilty of the accusations but the company holding the brand requested it to be removed.
The statue was first placed in a barn between the cities of Best and Liempde and then moved to Nuenen in a warehouse owned by van Gelder.
Back in 2019, van Gelder stated he wanted to donate the statue to the fans but he was misunderstood and received thousands of emails from fans asking for it.
“I’ve had a lot of emails from people who said: ‘I want it’. But you can’t just put it in your backyard or on the street side. I’m looking for a location in public space, where it’s really possible.”
However, finding a serious party for this is not easy, says van Gelder. According to him, a municipality in the west of the country showed interest in the image for a new neighbourhood in which the streets are named after pop stars. But that also led to nothing. Then they immediately say: ‘That man is controversial’. And then I already know: ‘That’s going to be another difficult story’.”
Yet Van Gelder is not giving up hope for the time being. “There only has to be one person who dares to do it,” he says. “And in the meantime, it is safe and dry in the shed. Draining the image to the landfill is my honor. That’s never going to happen.”
