The Book Project

Mark Davenport’s forthcoming cultural history, Community, Art, Education, and the Quest for Meaning: From Black Mountain College to the Gate Hill Cooperative (begun in 2013) tells the untold story of an extraordinary group of artists, educators, and social activists, and their shared explorations in the human experience. By “living life as art,” each tapped into their own questions about existence, purpose, and the fundamental nature of life’s journey. Drawn to the experimental Black Mountain College in North Carolina during and after the Second World War, this pioneering collaborative circle of faculty and students soon transplanted themselves 30 miles north of New York City. There, on the side of a forested mountain, they built their homes, workshops and studios, establishing one of the most active and progressive communities in contemporary art and living. They called their new social experiment the Gate Hill Cooperative. This inspirational human story, told from the perspective of someone who grew up there, offers a unique and compelling account, revealing how members of the community not only challenged the societal norms of their generation but redefined the boundaries of art and culture. Their legacy has left a lasting impact and continues to inspire and shape our world today.