The Johnson Center for the Arts hosted a moving reception in the Gibson Gallery featuring “Human Figuring,” a choreographed dance performance created by Madison Alward as part of her senior art project at Troy University.

The piece explored deeply personal themes of loss and healing, translating emotional memory into powerful movement, said Rebecca Alexander, JCA.

“The performance was surrounded by Alward’s paintings, sketches by Harrison Alward, and photography by Gabrielle Jent, adding intimate visual context,” Alexander said.

The performance took place amid Embodied: Contemporary Takes on the ‘Dress, a sculptural exhibition by eleven artists that will be on view through May 3, offered a compelling reimagining of the dress as both artifact and metaphor.

“United by themes of overcoming sorrow, reclaiming identity, and finding new beginnings, the exhibition and performance created a rich dialogue between visual and performance art,” Alexander said. “This convergence of media offered viewers a deeply affecting reflection on how we carry loss and how, through art, we begin again.”