The AudioNotch Tinnitus Treatment Blog

“Composing the Tinnitus Suites: 2014,” or “Tinnitus 2014,” for short, is an art installation by Daniel Fishkin. I learned about this art installation when I stumbled upon this blog post:

Daniel Fishkin, a Brooklyn-based sound artist, seeks a creative solution to tinnitus in lieu of a medical one. Tinnitus, a condition in which one perceives a continuous high-pitched ringing sound, has affected Fishkin since 2008. Physicians are unable to offer any effective treatment beyond “getting used to it,” yet this solution treats the problem far too lightly. Fishkin explores this condition, and notions of loss and gain, through his musical sculpture installation and a series of related guest performances at Nothing Space in Bushwick.

I find it interesting that, as we often find, doctors are unable to recommend any treatment options even though there is evidence that various treatment options have efficacy.

Tinnitus 2014 is a super interesting art exhibit to me because it’s representative of a natural human impulse: the desire to turn pain and suffering into art. I’m paraphrasing Kanye West here (which some of you may rightfully find questionable), but I once read in an interview that he said that “all good art comes from pain.” I’m not sure if I agree with that sentiment but I definitely think we can sublimate the pain of illness (and the unique suffering of tinnitus at that) into beautiful art. Van Gogh was said to have been driven mad by tinnitus but it didn’t prevent him from creating some beautiful paintings.

Something to think about, I guess.