This illustration is about living with tinnitus. The 23 years old artist from the UK, Eleanor Ponté, has tinnitus. When it first came, she would freeze, in her room, alone and it would be terrifying. However, she has found immense relief and comfort from it whilst being alone in nature.
The Sound Off art competition is a part of Hashir International Institute’s Public Involvement programme. Our Public Involvement programme comprises several initiatives: (1) Raising awareness projects, (2) Become a Solver, (3) Competitions and Prizes, and (4) Action Research. The Sound Off art competition in 2024 was organised in collaboration with the World Hearing Centre and the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing and the Institute of Sensory Organs and was sponsored by MED-EL. The aim of the Sound Off was to raise awareness about misophonia, tinnitus and hyperacusis. Artists from different countries took part in the competition by submitting their pieces of artwork that demonstrated the experience of living with misophonia, hyperacusis or tinnitus. In this section we showcase each artwork, description of the artwork, motivations/inspirations of the artist, and artist’s personal relationship to misophonia, hyperacusis or tinnitus.
Artist’s Name: Eleanor Ponté
Age: 23
Country of residence: England
Name of artwork: From earth to sound … living with Tinnitus
Explanation or description of the artwork. What inspired the work and what it means to the artist.
This illustration is about living with tinnitus. I have tinnitus and I know it will never go away. When it first came, I would freeze, in my room, alone and it would be terrifying. However, I have found immense relief and comfort from it whilst being alone in nature. I can now bring this sense of calm into the rest of my life with tinnitus. I discovered this sense of calm through going on long walks and doing yoga outside. I would go alone to give myself space to reflect and to walk in silence. Most of the time it would ground me by making me feel the earth beneath my feet and the wind on my face. Often, I would go for a swim and put my head underwater which is usually scary as it removes all other noises and all I can hear is the tin like hissing, however constant exposure in an intentional way helped me come to terms with my tinnitus. Before coping with tinnitus, I would hate to be on my own, alone with my quiet thoughts with the tin like noise hissing in my ears. However now I take huge comfort in the fact that I can spend time, without music or distractions to sit with my tinnitus and feel grounded and happy. Furthermore, I can use this experience when my tinnitus loudens, and it will always help balance me through the constant fluctuations of busy life. In this image I have added T’s into the trees and ground to show tinnitus is always around me. It has been very difficult to understand and cope with, however ultimately it has helped me deal with my emotions, as I can bring the skills I have learnt through having tinnitus into the rest of my life. 30 x 42cm Multimedia: chalk pastels, oil pastels and pencil on cartridge paper
Artist’s personal relationship to misophonia, hyperacusis or tinnitus.
I developed mild Tinnitus in 2017, after a pair of speakers blew at a friend’s party. I have had some general counselling, however my main method of coping with tinnitus was yoga, meditation, walking and exposure. Spending time alone in quiet places where I could hear it, so I would not be so affected by it in uncertain moments, such as when I arrive home after a noisy day or party and it’s louder. I now live side by side with my Tinnitus and take precautions to prevent it from worsening. I am happy to say it has not negatively affected me in many years now, and I use my coping methods and strengths in positive ways in other areas in my life.
