The winners of the Sound Off art competition 2024 were announced at the 7th International Conference on Hyperacusis and Misophonia in Warsaw, September 2024.
The Sound Off art competition in 2024 was organised by Hashir International Institute 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. To learn about the next Sound Off competition email us at admin@hashirtinnitusclinic.com
Winners are as below:
1st award: Ashleigh Barker (UK)
2nd Award (joint award): Shohred Pakdaman (Iran)
2nd Award (joint award): Nicolle Cure (USA)
3rd Award: Francine Luce-Lakhan (UK)
4th Award: Urmi Roy (India)
5th Award: Eleanor Pontè (UK)
6th Award: Satu Turunen-Taheri (Sweden)
Artworks and relevant descriptions:
Name of artwork: The sounds of sirens
Artist: Ashleigh Barker
Age: 19
Country of residence: United Kingdom
Explanation or description of the artwork. What inspired the work and what it means to the artist.
I have created a photograph of the artwork which I created whilst listening to sirens and then overlayed multiple images of myself in different emotions/ stages I go through when listening to sirens.
Artist’s personal relationship to misophonia, hyperacusis or tinnitus.
I suffer from misophonia/hyperacusis, so I created this piece to express that
Name of artwork: The edge of silence
Artist: Shohreh Pakdaman
Age: 45
Country of residence: Iran
Explanation or description of the artwork. What inspired the work and what it means to the artist.
I started out with a simple sketch based on my own inner sense of how much sounds can be multiplied and intensified in my head. There is a boundary between my safe zone and the intolerable which is “the edge of silence”.
I cannot tolerate the busy places and noisy environments. My vision, my taste, and my awareness will be affected by noise, and I get angry. In this effect, the cage is to convey my sense of limitation, the boundary, the edge. I have illustrated the loudness of sounds with the figures of many ear lobes in my head. Each ear added is a representation of the sounds being perceived louder (e.g., 10 ears means that I hear 10 times louder). When I feel my anger, I tend to think about things which bring me peace. This may help me to control my anger from all that noise. The flower is a symbol of peace. It is alive and beautiful and makes me feel calm and they are not harmful. I wanted to use butterflies in my painting too because of the softness of butterfly fluttering is the most beautiful movement for me. However, I felt, the butterfly may not show my true inner sense in this picture. I have inspired by a Persian poet (Rahi), who says; The ear that has heard lots of advice become reluctant to hear more.
Artist’s personal relationship to misophonia, hyperacusis or tinnitus.
I have hyperacusis.
Name of artwork: Pastel Indigo
Artist: Nicolle Cure
Age: 41
Country of residence: United States
Explanation or description of the artwork. What inspired the work and what it means to the artist.
Through this artwork titled “Pastel Indigo,” my aim is for viewers, whether sufferers of Tinnitus, Hyperacusis, or Misophonia or not, to perceive the subtleties of these conditions, which offer us numerous lessons. Since 2017, these conditions have marked my life with constant challenges, but they have also strengthened my spirit and illuminated my art, turning adversity into an endless source of inspiration. “Pastel Indigo” is a poetic piece that reflects my vision of how sound manifests in various ways and at different stages of the onset and progression of these conditions. Through multiple layers of translucent acrylic paint and superimposed elements like curved lines and other accents drawn in graphite and oil pastel, I attempt to illustrate the ebb and flow of life, the ups and downs, the defeats, and the victories experienced by those who suffer from these conditions. It is my personal interpretation of sound in my life, the vibrations, the frequencies, and the moments of “silence” (represented by the blank spaces in the work). Through my art, I seek to transform suffering and bring more joy, encouraging us to see the good even in the most challenging, darkest, most frustrating, and exhausting moments. It is about pausing to observe beauty even as we live with these painful and annoying sounds and showing the incredible strength and resilience that sufferers of these conditions have acquired over time. After all that I have experienced and learned, I have discovered that although pain and loss are constant companions in my life, as in the lives of many, they also carry a hidden gift: the opportunity to find color, beauty, and purpose in the most unexpected corners of existence. This revelation, born from my own struggle with Tinnitus, Hyperacusis, and Misophonia, has shaped my perspective and work in a unique way and changed it for the better forever. This piece is a special celebration of our resilience and a call to be compassionate with ourselves and the world. It is the light and encouragement I desperately needed in many difficult times. I now want to bring this light and color to others suffering silently from “invisible” conditions like these.
Artist’s personal relationship to misophonia, hyperacusis or tinnitus.
In 2017, I experienced sudden sensorineural hearing loss (in my right ear), which led to the diagnosis of various vestibular conditions, including Meniere’s disease and BPPV. This isolating, painful, yet transformative experience has inspired me to illustrate the intricate world of sound in a visual format, capturing the essence of living with invisible conditions such as misophonia, hyperacusis, and tinnitus. Through my artwork and advocacy work, I aim to convey the challenges faced by individuals like myself, shedding light on the impact of sound sensitivity on daily life. Participating in the competition would allow me to share my unique perspective on living with these conditions, especially tinnitus and hyperacusis, and offer an opportunity to contribute to the broader discourse on sensory conditions. Art has the power to raise awareness and foster understanding, of being and feeling “seen,” and I am eager to be a part of this impactful initiative. The prospect of exhibiting my work at the 7th International Conference on Hyperacusis and Misophonia in Warsaw is truly inspiring and humbling. Thank you for providing a platform for individuals like me to share our stories and views through the beautiful language of art.
Name of artwork: You and Me
Artist: Francine Luce-Lakhan
Age: 64
Country of residence: UK
Explanation or description of the artwork. What inspired the work and what it means to the artist.
“You and Me” is the title I first gave to the poem written on my drawing. This poem is about tinnitus, I wrote it years ago and it makes sense for me today to name the drawing the same, as its words had also fed my creativity and led me to hold my lovely colourful pastels one by one, in my right hand, to draw. To add more, the poem like the drawing came out of me when I least expected; both taking shape, making sense as I went along with the freedom of my self-expression, letting it be for what it was about to be, to then become what it was meant to be; tuning in with my inner secret world, the depth of my being, the one who knows. My drawing is a raw drawing I would say! Not a technically defined one, and I chose to leave it that way; raw like tinnitus or hyperacusis can be perceived at times, particularly during the unpredictable spikes of the tinnitus which I tried to visually show with the grey/black curved line coming from the cloud. This tapestry of words and images is about my challenges mainly with tinnitus. But the more I drew, the more I realised that it was about so much more. And I am amazed to say that while drawing, more healing took place with additional realisations and revelations in my mind and heart. The “You” of my poem is the tinnitus but the “You” in my drawing is also Life, its beauty -My love and commitment to music, embracing the presence of the green musical heart and notes on the branches of the tree expressing the purity of music and nature, where tinnitus does not enter – My healing journey, revisiting how my condition with tinnitus, hyperacusis have been my teachers – My belief in a valuable reason for everything that occur in our lives – The challenges I had to feel to then overcome – The ground where I, we stand, experiencing such satisfaction to have drawn some strong roots, where my powerful, useful CBT course with Hashir Clinic takes its anker – My hope – My spirituality and beliefs – My step closer to acceptance where at the bottom of my drawing, the grey cloud is fading away becoming a tiny one to give space to more bright yellow sunlight, universal light to shy.
What inspired me to draw is my story. My years of learning. My knowledge and awareness of the impact that tinnitus can hold. My belief in the power of choice and that no matter what, we ought to turn to the light despite of the presence of darkness. My hope for the sun on a rainy day. And most of all, my curiosity and enthusiasm to make visible what is invisible.
To draw my journey with tinnitus has been a journey in itself; and I want to go back to the very beginning to add that my inspiration also came from the very first moment I laid my eyes on the Sound Off advert when I just felt drawn to take part, captivating to unexpectedly sense the colours under my fingers, about to give birth to something I have never done before. I also felt moved to have been given an opportunity to revisit the importance of sharing something so personal, but in such a beautiful way, where I could be me, creative.
Artist’s personal relationship to misophonia, hyperacusis or tinnitus.
One question comes to mind: How can I have a relationship with something that I do not want? I suppose I have a relationship with tinnitus by the simple fact that I have no any other choice than to live with it. Wherever I go, whatever I do, it is there! A persistent duality: ‘the You and the Me’ that coexists within. The complexity of the condition itself plus the emotional impact that it can have on the individual make this relationship even more intense.
Over time, changes occurred, from having a manageable tinnitus until my whole world gradually turned upside down, having to learn from scratch to no longer live with silence; when silence had always been my mentor: ‘Music always starts from silence!’ We always have to go through different phases in life, haven’t we! Everything is in movements, never stay the same, even though there will always be a tomorrow. From being conflicting, my relationship with tinnitus keeps evolving one step at a time, being more at peace I would say; where ‘to live despite off’ developed into ‘to live with’; the final step being ‘to live well with’. Effectively, what is the point to live life, if not to live it well: ‘You are you, Me is me!’
Name of artwork: Hope amongst chaos
Artist: Urmi Roy
Age: 25
Country of residence: India
Explanation or description of the artwork. What inspired the work and what it means to the artist.
In my artwork, I have shown a girl screaming, because of the ever companion bell ringing sound- tinnitus. The distress, anger, frustration she experiences every day, is visible in the expression. But amongst all the chaos and distress, rays of hope, in the shape of bubbles rise. Here each bubble represents the different remedies for tinnitus, such as hearing aid which can be used as a sound generator, cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, and counselled which lets her find the peace within, she is also seen to enjoy the serene sounds of waves as sound therapy. Meditation, mindfulness and overall, a healthy lifestyle helps in improving the condition of tinnitus.
Artist’s personal relationship to misophonia, hyperacusis or tinnitus.
I’m an audiology masters student studying in all India institute of speech and hearing in Mysore, India. I had my clinical conference on the topic of Usefulness of audiologist given CBT for patients suffering from tinnitus under the guidance of Dr. Prashanth Prabhu and my current dissertation is targeted on misophonia group
Name of artwork: From earth to sound … living with Tinnitus
Artist: Eleanor Ponté
Age: 23
Country of residence: England
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.
Name of artwork: Tinnitus and Hyperacusis
Artist: Satu Turunen-Taheri
Age: 62
Country of residence: Sweden
Explanation or description of the artwork. What inspired the work and what it means to the artist.
Many of my patients have tinnitus and hyperacusis, and I wanted to describe in a painting a bit of the feeling I got from my patients. However, it happens that even I sometimes bothered by tinnitus.
Artist’s personal relationship to misophonia, hyperacusis or tinnitus.
I have many patients with tinnitus and hyperacusis at the clinic where I work as an audiologist. I also sometimes have tinnitus by myself.
The artworks were judged by a panel which comprised three artists and two hearing scientists.
Hashir International Institute has several public projects comprising: (1) Health-related talks or exhibitions for public, (2) Become a solver, (3) Competitions and prizes, and (4) Action research. The general aim of our public projects is to provide opportunity for anyone regardless of their educational background or geographical location who thinks that they may have an idea that can help solving some of the problems related to understanding, assessing, or managing misophonia, tinnitus, and hyperacusis to assist scientists in creating feasible solutions. See this page for more information: https://hashirtinnitusclinic.com/public-involvement/
