Calling on his own experience as an illegal immigrant, Seba Kurtis — who left the chaos of Argentina in 2001 for Spain, where he spent five years off the radar — brings more than most artists to the unravelling chronicles of migrant dehumanisation. Unable to afford a camera, his tutor encouraged Kurtis to experiment with collage; existing materials easier to access than the tool to create his own. That experience has surely enriched his approach to art, and was solidified in a course at University of Manchester — where Kurtis began to apply collage techniques to his photography; experimenting with exposure, colours and textures.

It’s not just technique that informs the work of Seba Kurtis — studying journalism and being involved in political activism during his time in Buenos Aires, the artist has a wealth of personal experience to draw upon: water-damaged film destroying memories of his and his family’s time in Argentina, people met during his time as just another number … Kurtis channels experience, technique, and the current political climate — the outcome a sobering, ambiguous look at a world we all hear about, but few of us see outside the haze of agenda-led media. Bringing together several bodies of work under one title, Immigration Files shows at Christophe Guye Galerie, Zurich, until 16 January.

@christopheguye

Seba Kurtis (*1974, Argentina)
Horses, from the series “A few days more”, 2008
Lamda Print
60 x 50 cm ( 23 5/8 x 19 5/8 in. )

Seba Kurtis (*1974, Argentina)
Untitled 9, from the series ‘Heartbeat’, 2012
Lambda print
100 x 80 cm ( 39 3/8 x 31 1/2 in. )