What You Missed
Michael Beatty: Fabrications
Exhibition Recap
Throughout the run of Michael Beatty: Fabrications – January 21st-April 5th – the Cantor hosted programming that deepened engagement with the exhibition and invited interdisciplinary dialogue. Enjoy some of the highlights below.
Opening Reception & Artist Walk-Through
With over 200 attendees, the opening featured a guided tour by Beatty that offered personal insights into his creative process.
Form, Structure, and Symmetry: Bach in the Gallery
Student musicians Pietro Romussi ‘27, Brooks Scholar and Julianna Stratton ‘26, performed Bach’s Cello Suites for an audience of nearly 70, followed by a dialogue between Prof. Gareth Roberts (Mathematics) and Beatty exploring the theme of symmetry in art and music.
Faculty & Artist Roundtable
Beatty and Holy Cross faculty Prof. Amy Finstein (Architectural Studies) and Prof. Justin McAlister (Environmental Studies) engaged in a stimulating conversation on creativity and problem-solving across disciplines, moderated by the Cantor’s Assistant Director for Education & Engagement, Christina An.
Worcester Public Schools (WPS) Visit
We welcomed a wonderful group of WPS students from grades 4-6 for a tour and art-making workshop. Inspired by Beatty’s works on view, the workshop encouraged teamwork and creative thinking while giving students a chance to apply what they observed in the gallery to their own playful, suspended sculptures.
Mathematical Models (MATH 303) Class Visit
Taking cues from Beatty’s work inspired by mathematics, Prof. Gareth Roberts’s class engaged in a creative hands-on activity to discern the mathematical patterns inherent in pinecones by rolling them in clay, producing 2D models to reveal their special geometry (consecutive Fibonacci numbers).
UMass Chan Medical School Chancellor Michael Collins ‘77, MD, FACP
Beatty’s works inspired by the body, healthcare, and medicine – including the Core series inspired by brain CT scans – formed the backdrop for Dr. Collins’s remarks on his trajectory in medicine, addressed to Health Professions Advising students.
Exhibition at a Glance
Michael Beatty is an accomplished sculptor and former professor at the College of the Holy Cross, where he taught sculpture and three-dimensional design for 25 years. His exhibition, Michael Beatty: Fabrications, brought together works spanning from 1992 to the present, showcasing his unique approach to blending technology with traditional craftsmanship. Beatty’s pieces are inspired by science, nature, and mathematics, often merging geometric patterns with organic, abstract forms. This combination of precision and fluidity is at the heart of his exploration of balance, structure, and materiality.
Pictured: Installation view with Compass, 2020; Installation view with Splint, 1997 and Nature Logic drawings, 2000 and Shroud, 1992; Harbinger, 2025. Photos courtesy of artist.
Beatty’s works encouraged viewers to think beyond traditional boundaries, connecting art with science and technology in a way that sparked curiosity and conversation. It also highlighted the vibrant, creative culture within the local community, inspiring both art lovers and newcomers to explore new perspectives on art-making and problem-solving.
Michael In His Own Words
“One of the things I really loved about teaching at Holy Cross was the diverse interests of the students. So, there were many instances where a students’ projects or maybe what they were studying outside of the visual arts really inspired me.”
