Canto explores the East Kent border of the UK, the closest coastline to mainland Europe. Utilising photography and text, this body of work combines the visual exploration of the physical border landscape with the language used to describe the complex issues of migration and people forced to flee and seek refuge in the 21st Century.
Presented in a broadsheet newspaper format this publication also features a pull out text work featuring over 800 newspaper headlines showing the language and stories used to other and dehumanise Europeans living and working in the UK as well as refugees, asylum seekers.
Stuart Leech is an artist based in Margate, UK. His work utilises photography combined with a research-based practice to explore political and social issues often discussed but not often visualised. He studied photography at the University of Portsmouth before embarking on a career as a freelance photographer and now dedicates his time to long-term projects.
In 2022 he was selected as one of the 100 emerging photographers to watch in Europe as part of FRESH EYES run by GUP Magazine.