Keystone Species

We are delighted to invite you to a new exhibition, KEYSTONE SPECIES, drawn from our Bethnal Green studios, offering a glimpse into the diverse practices and conversations shaping our in-house artistic community.

KEYSTONE SPECIES brings together thirteen artists based in Proposition’s studios whose work engages with the idea of keystone species: organisms whose presence has a disproportionate influence on shaping their ecological region by supporting a much greater abundance of life than would be possible without them. When these species disappear, entire systems can collapse; when they are present the world around them flourishes. The exhibition takes this ecological principle as a point of departure for reflecting on interdependence, responsibility, and potential for positive impact. Across performance, painting, film, sculpture, writing, sound, and installation, the artists Owen Bennett, Jennifer Crouch, Alex Hincapié, Lisa Gornick, Jolene Liam, Zoë Marden, Fergus Polglase, Katherine Pogson, Olha Pryymak, Nina Ross, Nwakuba Udenze, Siena Venturino-Malcherczyk and tyroneissacstuart explore the idea of keystone species in a multitude of tones. Some focus on particular organisms and environments, drawing on observation, research, and ecological knowledge. Others work metaphorically, exploring resonances between ecological systems and human structures, relationships, and practices of care. Together, the works move between the scientific and the speculative, the literal and the abstract, inviting reflection on both specificity and broader patterns of influence. The artists also draw awareness to the transformation of materials, treating them as active participants in the processes they represent. By experimenting with materials and ecological processes, the works show how conscious human engagement with living systems enables flourishing while influencing perception, interaction, and imaginative potential. 📍 Proposition Bethnal Green, 279 Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London, E2 0EL 🗓️ 27 March - 16 May 2026 ⏱️ Wednesday–Saturday, 12–7pm 🗓️ Private View - 6:30-8.30pm, 26 March 2026

What to expect:
Mixed media, Sculpture, Prints, Painting, Multi-disciplinary