Anna Kristina Goransson: Tug and Pull

Dates: September 30 - November 30, 2026

Opening Reception: Wednesday, September 30, 2026, 5 - 7 pm, artist talk at 5:30 pm

Reception for the Site-Specific work in the CVPA Atrium: Wednesday, November 4, 5-7 pm

UMass Dartmouth CVPA Campus Gallery is proud to present Tug and Pull, an exhibition by Swedish-born artist Anna Kristina Goransson, in the CVPA Campus Gallery from September 30 to November 30, 2026. A reception is planned for Wednesday, September 30, 2026, from 5 to 7 pm at the CVPA Campus Gallery at 285 Old Westport Road in Dartmouth, MA 02747, featuring an artist talk at 5:30 pm. Light refreshments will be served. Please use parking lot 5, 14, or 18 and walk to the CVPA building from there. The gallery is located on the first floor.

The Tug and Pull exhibition features installations made from 3D felted forms and found objects—most of which were created specifically for this show—to explore visual struggles between opposing forces. As the artist states, "In this world, it seems everyone feels the pull of control coming from every direction. There is a constant weight of obligations and expectations. In the end, who wins?" UMass Dartmouth Gallery Director Viera Levitt invites audiences “to experience a quiet, meditative space where metaphorical tension inspires contemplation and creativity.”

Early in her graduate studies, the artist became enamored with wool as a material and felting as a technique for its ability to transform into any form while still retaining its inherent softness. “It was a revelation to me that I could make three-dimensional forms that were lightweight, strong, and could be dyed in luscious colors,” she comments. “The process itself is a form of meditation that allows my mind to wander and weave, putting me in a mindset similar to walking through the woods. The felting process frees me from my own perfectionist tendencies, as I cannot have total control over it. That is the excitement of felting and dyeing for me: nothing can be perfectly replicated, and often the outcome is different from the original idea. The changes that happen during the making of a piece are what keep me felting.”

The CVPA Campus Gallery will host a wool felting station and workshops offering UMass Dartmouth students and the public hands-on experience with this art technique. The results of this collaboration will be showcased during the reception for the site-specific work in the CVPA Atrium, located directly outside the gallery, on Wednesday, November 4, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. If you are interested in organizing a special workshop or demo for your group, please contact gallery@umassd.edu.

The gallery would like to thank graduate students Zara Shahi and Abel Ray for their vital creative support with the exhibition, as well as Prof. Paula Stebbins Becker for her continued mentorship.

About the Artist

Anna Kristina Goransson was born in Sweden, where the enchanting forest trips inspired her lifelong curiosity for observing nature. When she moved to the United States midway through elementary school, art became her refuge in a country where she didn’t speak the language. She formalized her art education by going to Rhode Island School of Design for her BFA in furniture and went on to receive her MFA in Fibers from UMass Dartmouth. Anna Kristina has exhibited nationally and internationally, including solo exhibitions at Dedee Shattuck Gallery in Westport, MA and Kaleido in Uppsala, Sweden, and was an artist-in-residence at OCAC and at Pentaculum through Arrowmount. She is a member of the Boston Sculptors Gallery, where she will have her next solo show in June 2027. Anna Kristina works as an artist, curator, and art teacher in the Boston area.

Anna Kristina Goransson: Tug and Pull

close

Previous Next