Artist Simon Buckley‘s “Not Quite Light” festival aims to start a debate about regeneration and heritage in Manchester, England.
He has been photographing parts of the city centre at dawn for more than a year.
The event, held in April of 2016, included exhibitions, walking tours, and a fundraising event for the city’s homeless.
The photographs are “leaving clues” for social historians, Mr. Buckley said. “The phrase ‘change is inevitable but progress isn’t‘ kept coming back to me. Heritage is more than just bricks and mortar – it is a state of mind. I wanted to ask the question: what are we as Manchester? If you’re knocking something down, what are you going to put in its place?”
“Manchester is going through a huge transition,” he continued. “You’ve got to be careful you don’t demolish the soul of a city whilst you’re running rampant, hoping to make it better.”