Busy Roads to Wide Water & Big Skies

Salvatore Rubbino is an illustrator and has made Newham his home. ‘I love to look’ he says, ‘and drawing helps me to notice my surroundings more carefully’. In March 2023, he was joined by fellow Newham resident Raffaella Ravaioli on a walk through Canning Town to explore how the present has been shaped by the past and experience the noisy energy of building projects all around as Canning Town races towards a new future. The route follows busy roads of industry and shops, then quieter residential streets and finally to the Royal Victoria Docks with its wide water reflecting a big sky. Salvatore drew the pictures for the project and the words are from the conversation and opinions he shared with Raffaella.

The animation and soundscape for the illustrations was created by filmmaker Emma Crouch.

Commissioned by the Royal Docks Team as part of Our People and Stories.

Watch the video on YouTube.