‘Hometown’ explores my adopted home of Manchester through walks along its central canal, which runs east to west through the city. Formed by the Ashton Canal, Rochdale Canal, and the historic Manchester Ship Canal—once crucial arteries for transporting industrial goods to the sea—it now cuts through a wide range of landscapes and communities. Following its course, I document the contrasts in architecture, atmosphere, and socioeconomic environments that exist along its banks. The canal becomes both subject and metaphor: a thread connecting Manchester’s industrial past to its constantly evolving present, while also offering glimpses of its future through the shifting identities that emerge beside it.

At the same time, the project is also a personal exploration of belonging and what it means to feel at home after many years living away from where I grew up. Through these walks and observations, I reflect on the ways a place slowly becomes familiar, shaping both identity and connection over time.