BIRMINGHAM.- Midlands Arts Centre presents The Final Bid: a unique exhibition by internationally renowned artist Michael Pinsky which challenges our desire to buy new things.

Transforming the gallery into a powerful immersive installation, Pinsky uses one universal everyday object — the chair — to explore the environmental impact of manufactured goods and encourage audiences to rethink the value of reuse, ownership and the circular economy.

At the heart of the exhibition is a live online auction featuring chairs generously donated by members of the public. Suspended dramatically from the ceiling, the 72 selected chairs respond in real time to the value of incoming bids, rising and shifting to create a dynamic kinetic sculpture that visualises demand, desire and consumption.

Audiences can submit bids for their favourite chairs by visiting the gallery in person or viewing MAC’s auction platform online. The chairs rise in response to the value of each bid, literally setting the auction process into motion.

More than an auction, The Final Bid is a human exchange. At the close of the exhibition, original owners and successful bidders will have the opportunity to meet up, share stories and importantly pass these everyday objects from one life to another, revealing the personal connections embedded within ordinary possessions. Proceeds from the chairs will be shared between the seller and MAC as a registered charity.





Ahead of the exhibition, members of the public from across the UK generously donated chairs they no longer needed, transforming every day, pre-loved furniture into a powerful artistic statement. Removed from their functional purpose, the chairs are reimagined as sculptural forms rather than objects designed to be used. In doing so, The Final Bid draws attention to one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and the relentless consumption of manufactured goods, from furniture and clothing to household appliances.

By symbolically interrupting the constant cycle of production, purchase and disposal, the installation invites audiences to reconsider the environmental impact of consumer culture and reflect on the hidden value of the things we so easily discard.

Michael Pinsky, artist of The Final Bid, said: “I first visited MAC while preparing my installation Pollution Pods and was struck by how busy it was on arrival. The building immediately felt alive, with people moving between exhibitions, performances, and workshops. This impressive breadth of activity, combined with the depth of expertise on site, creates a uniquely dynamic cultural environment. It is precisely this richness that makes MAC an ideal venue for The Final Bid, an exhibition that demands far more than a conventional gallery setting.”

Every chair tells a story

As well as encouraging us to resist the consumerist urge to impulsively buy new things and carelessly dispose of old ones, the project plays with the notion that objects gain value within an art gallery setting.

Though originally low in monetary value, these secondhand chairs are rich in the stories they tell about memory, family and place. Highlights from the exhibition include:

Skateboard Chair | Craig

While holidaying in Wales, Craig found some old skateboard decks left outside on the pavement. Initially at a loss of what to do with them, inspiration struck after he found some broken chairs at work with metal frames. Passionate about upcycling and in need of a project during a low point in his mental health, Craig found comfort in crafting several of these “aesthetically pleasing yet functional” skateboard chairs. The process of making them saw him through difficult times, highlighting the beauty of finding new and meaningful uses for old objects.

1950s Barber Chair | Gideon

Around 35 years ago, Gideon’s partner Elaine started cleaning an old barbershop near Erdington with her husband. When Elaine’s husband sadly died in 2005, their wonderful children stepped up to help keep the cleaning going. Gideon came into their lives around 10 years later, soon finding himself taking on the family cleaning duties. Though the barbershop recently closed its doors, this 1950s barber chair holds fond memories of the family singing and dancing together after hours as they swept and mopped the barbershop floors. Having witnessed lots of haircuts, love and fun family times, the chair reminds Gideon of “how amazing and adaptable families are”.

Chair of War and History | Polly

In April 1918, Polly’s grandfather purchased a secondhand 10-piece dining suite for his newlywed home; at the time, he was still recovering from injuries sustained in the First World War. By the 1930s, only one chair and its original bill of sale—for £10—remained, as extreme poverty forced him to burn the rest as fuel. This family heirloom demonstrates how objects capture pivotal moments in world history, as well as the extraordinary resilience of previous generations.

Polly (Chair of War and History) said: “I inherited this chair from my mother in 2006, and it has lived in my loft ever since. Too lovely to throw away, yet unsuited to my own home, The Final Bid presented the perfect opportunity to pass it on. As a lover of art, art galleries and exhibitions, the idea of being involved in such a fun, interesting installation was also part of the appeal.

This chair was already secondhand when my grandfather purchased it in 1918; likewise, I’ve always embraced buying pre-loved items in good condition instead of new ones. In the spirit of what The Final Bid is all about, the time has come for my old chair to take on a brand-new life.”

Michael Pinsky is a British artist whose international projects challenge the status quo on climate change, urban design and societal wellbeing. He explores issues which shape and influence the use of our public realm to create ambitious and provocative installations in galleries and public spaces. Taking the combined roles of artist, urban planner, activist, researcher and resident, he starts residencies and commissions by working with local people and resources, allowing the physical, social and political environment to define his working methodology.

His work has been shown at: TATE Britain; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chengdu; Saatchi Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, Institute for Contemporary Art, London; La Villette, Paris; BALTIC, Gateshead; Centre for Contemporary Art, Glasgow; Modern Art, Oxford; KunstMuseum, Bonn; Cornerhouse, Manchester; Liverpool Biennial; Centre de Création Contemporaine, Tours; Armory Center of the Arts, Los Angeles and the Rotterdam International Architectural Biennial.