Artist Statement

"My work as of late has been primarily concerned with the exploration of extremity. I am intrigued by the questions surrounding the experience of self and the extremes of human life. I often utilize, in my private work, themes of violence, carnality, addiction, despair, and betrayal.

My work deals with concerns for humanity from a societal perspective, as well as what it means to be human from a philosophical and individual standpoint.

In recent conversation regarding my work and some of the experiences that have inspired them, an artist, and friend, Helena Kaelin stated 'When I hear you talk about these things, I realize, you're a survivor.' Survivor in the sense that surviving is what I do. Survive-er rather than Survivor.

I agree, and in hindsight it has become clear to me that much of my life has been a long survival, punctuated by moments of truly Living. My work is my way of searching for more of those moments, through meditation on survival." - Travis Sparks, 2022