Born in Hammersmith, Ruskin Spear spent almost his entire life in the area and dedicated his career to painting its streets, locals, and slightly seedier haunts.

Like his friend Carel Weight, while many artists turned their attention and gaze towards abstraction, colour, bold and bright forms, both Spear and Weight remained fiercely dedicated towards documenting the extraordinary everyday.

Both artists elevated the ordinary, captivated by the drama of modern city life. However, their visions diverged: Weight cast a haunting, psychological dread over London’s quiet suburban streets, whereas Spear uncovered profound moments within the cosy, smoke-stained grit of working-class neighbourhoods.

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