Windows on Main St Curator Statement: Matthew Slaats

Matthew Slaats is an artist living in Staatsburg and he's been involved with some projects in Beacon in recent years. Matthew's strong affinity for sport is represented in his work as is evident in his performative and cooperative projects. Matthew is currently involved in developing the Hyde Park Project that ultimately will merge elements of collective community memory and advanced technology in a decidedly unstuffy art viewing venue; the Hyde Park Drive In.
His focus on active interaction with various audiences in his artistic practice is well suited for a project such as WOMS. (Honestly, I'm not trying to make this sound like a press release. It's just coming out that way.)
Here's Matthew's statement about his approach to the Windows exhibit:

The engagement of community and context is at the center of my artistic and
curatorial practice. My interest lies in understanding places and people
on a multitude of levels many of which are imperceivable. The goal is to
engage on a much deeper level by asking questions and expecting answers.
The artists that I have invited work on these levels. They go beyond just the
creation of an object or an image, but to a place were participation is vital to
the completion of the work.
The objective of these efforts is to make meaning. Meaning that is developed through action. The action being the artist and the community partaking in a conversation where mutual understanding is achieved.

The artists that comprise Matthew's selection for this years Windows are Ryan Burghard, at Mountain Tops (144 Main St.), Tom Hughes, at Iron Fish Trading Co. (167 Main St.), Megan Metcalf, at Main St. Salon (211 Main St.), Karen Brummand (469 Main St. -next to Go North), and Jenny Price, at Jacqueline (469 Main St.) Details of all of the artists' works, will be posted in due time at the WOMS blog.
Matthew is also contributing an interactive piece of his own to WOMS this year. Call and Respond:

Call & Respond is an interactive telephone project. Cards displaying a telephone number will be distributed throughout Beacon. Participants can call the phone number to hear a message that will change every few days. After hearing the message they
will be able to respond as they see fit.
During the run of Windows On Main, messages will be collected and then be available to be heard at Go North Gallery.