Taking inspiration from The River Thames, this collection of fluid and expressive original paintings showcases Cooke’s raw talent and connection to his hometown of London.

Born in 1962 in Hackney’s Salvation Army Mothers’ Home, Paul Cooke grew up in London’s East End. A colourful early life and some questionable career choices led to a long spell detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure, and it was in prison that Paul first discovered alternative ways to express his considerable creativity.

It wasn’t until another spell of enforced isolation, this time the pandemic, that Paul began to paint. Each canvas references and is titled after a specific period, person or place connected with Paul’s life in London. In a sense it is both a love letter to the city that made him, and a visual memory of the chapters of his life.

The title of the exhibition - Everything finds its level - recalls to one of Paul’s core beliefs: people may pretend to be one thing, but time always reveals them as they truly are.