Ty Tover’s art recognized during WHO exhibition
March 30, 2022
Ty Tover’s art recognized during WHO exhibition
MOBILE, Ala. — Earlier this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) envisioned the future of health and well-being in the Western Pacific in 2050 with the inaugural WHO Futures Art Exhibition. Among those who submitted entries is Ty Tover, a peer counselor with MCHD and a contemporary expressionist painter.
Of his five pieces of art which were all accepted by the juried panel, the painting titled “Alone” has been selected by a panel of art experts from the Western Pacific and staff with the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific to receive special honors. “Alone” was selected as one of the most inspiring and thought-proving pieces in the Technology category (ways in which the evolution of technology could affect health and well-being in 2050).
“I am so excited,” he said. “This is a dream come true. I have been drawing and painting since I was 3 years old.
“I always wanted to be a recognized artist. It was taught to us you had to be dead to be famous. I’m glad I got recognized before that on a worldwide scale.”
Tover’s works have been pinned at the top of the 2D gallery for the past several weeks. Because “Alone” was selected as a distinguished winner, it is now exhibited in a dedicated 3D virtual gallery. This can be found at the following link: https://whofuturesartexhibition.artcall.org/pages/3d-gallery.
Mentions were given to up to three artworks in each category based on the following criteria: Visual impact; Strength of the vision conveyed through the work; Strength of the vision conveyed through the statement; Original concept and theme (How well does the artwork relate to the theme?).
Along with the Technology category (the ways in which the evolution of technology could affect health and well-being in 2050), Tover also submitted art in the People and Society category (ways in which people, populations and society may impact health and well-being in 2050), the Economy category (ways in which the economy in the Region may affect health and well-being in 2050), the Environment category (ways in which the environment may impact health and well-being in 2050) and the Open category (aims to explore the future of health and well-being beyond the categories above).
The exhibition was open to artists who were interested in the Western Pacific Region and wanted to share their ideas about the future of health in the Region through visual art.
A native of Mobile, Tover’s colorful paintings pay homage to his life experiences and his emotions. His distinctive personal style and use of color permeates throughout his works. Most of his works display his fondness for use of acrylic paints over black canvas.
Tover has led a very interesting life saturated in the arts: from lead dancer, to choreographer, to local painter. Tover left Mobile early on in his life to seek culture in other communities. He spent more than a decade in Los Angeles where he served on numerous artistic boards, including the Disney Anaheim Museum.
His artwork has been shown in local exhibitions, including the most recent one by the Mobile Arts Council titled “Black Health and Wellness.” Tover’s work is currently featured on the Mobile Arts Council’s Virtual Art Gallery at https://mobilearts.org/virtualgallery.
