THE OTOART PROJECT
OtoArt is a fundraising project of the Walter Spohn Trust, where imaginative artists transform twelve-inch polyurethane ear forms into Visual Expressions of Hearing. These works of art are then auctioned off to benefit education and research in anaplastology.
ABOUT OTOART
The OtoArt project is a celebration of natural beauty and artistic inspiration drawn from human anatomy. Anaplastologists usually take painstaking care to conceal their work against human skin so it will go unnoticed. OtoArt gives us an opportunity to highlight the human ear as an artistic object for the public to enjoy!
OtoArt is a fundraising project of the Walter Spohn Trust, where imaginative artists transform twelve-inch polyurethane ear forms into Visual Expressions of Hearing. These works of art are then auctioned off to benefit education and research in anaplastology. The project is the brainchild of four anaplastologists who spent a weekend together museum hopping in London. As they viewed classic masterpieces on display for the public, they discussed the fact that their prosthetic creations are successful only if no one notices them. But, what if they wanted to celebrate the beauty of an eye, a nose, or an ear and share it with the public? That’s when they thought of OtoArt! They decided that participation would be open to everyone with a passion for ears and art.
This is still the spirit of the OtoArt project. We welcome anaplastologists, medical practitioners, painters, sculptors, photographers, medial artists, and anyone else who is interested to buy an ear, transform it into a work of art, and donate it for auction in support of the WST.
PAST OTOART EVENTS
The inaugural OtoArt exhibit and auction was held in Sarasota, Florida at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel as part of the combined meeting of the 25th Annual International Anaplastology Association Conference with the 3rd International Bone-Conduction Hearing-Craniofacial Osseointegration Symposium in March, 2011. Twenty-one ears were designed and embellished by artists from the US, Canada, and Europe and auctioned off to an international audience. They now reside in homes, offices, and clinics around the globe!
A new phase of the OtoArt fundraising effort began in 2013 at the International Anaplastology Association’s Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Since 2013, each year an OtoArt ear is designed specifically for the annual IAA meeting by featured artists, celebrating the location and/or theme of the meeting. Each new ear is showcased at its respective meeting and auctioned to support the WST.
OtoArt 2017 added a twist to its participation criteria, welcoming ear-centered compositions in all different forms and media: 3d, 2d, painting, drawing, sculpture, screen print, 3d-print, photograph, etc. (realistic or abstracted). This new aspect of the project allowed artists to submit exciting and diverse pieces. OtoArt 2017 was a great success! We were able to showcase work at the 2017 IAA Annual Conference in Minneapolis, as at a public exhibition at Squirrel Haus Arts in Minneapolis. OtoArt hosted an Online Auction allowing art collectors and supporters to bit on each piece, and all auction-raised funds went directly to the support of the Walter Spohn Trust!
In May of 2018, two unique OtoArt 3d ears were created and showcased in at the 2018 IAA Annual Conference in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. These pieces will be auctioned in June 2019, at the IAA Annual Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. Learn more about the 2018 OtoArtists.
2019 OTOART
This June, three new OtoArt ears will be designed and showcased at the 33rd IAA Annual Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. Stay tuned for announcements and feature information about the 2019 OtoArtists.
2019 OTOART EXHIBITION & AUCTION FUNDRAISER
We are also excited to announce that the 2019 OtoArt Exhibition theme: HEAD TO TOE
The Walter Spohn Trust is seeking donated submissions of artwork for the 2019 OtoArt Exhibition & Charity Auction. Donated artwork submitted will be auctioned to raise funds for the Walter Spohn Trust. Funds raised will be designated for WST Giving Programs, which provides financial support for educational and research projects focused on the advancement of anaplastology.
The WST requests that donated artwork communicates the theme: HEAD TO TOE
OtoArt is a celebration of artistic inspiration drawn from the beauty of human anatomy. All artists, age 18 years or older, are eligible to participate.
A maximum of 30 donated submissions will be accepted. *All 30 donated artworks will be included in the auction fundraiser, hosted online and open to the public for viewing and bidding. (*See Participation Rule #8). Please read the complete participation rules for submission details and format criteria.
A maximum of 12 donated submissions will be selected for exhibition at the 2019 International Anaplastology Association Annual Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, June 12-15, 2019.One of the 12 contributing artists whose donated artwork is included in the exhibition will be eligible to receive an award of $1000 USD, in recognition of their exceptional work. Registered conference participants will form the collective juror to determine the recipient of this award.
PLEASE READ the complete Participation Rules.
Prior to submitting artwork, the artist must complete and submit the online the OtoArt 2019 Artist Enrollment Form.
Upon receipt of the enrollment form, the WST will reply to the artist and issue the artist a Participant Number.The Participant Number MUST BE INCLUDED on the Artist Participation Agreement submitted with the donated artwork.
Submission deadline is May 1, 2019.
If you have any questions, email info@waltersphontrust.org.