Contemporary art, interdisciplinary research communities, and traditional Appalachian culture converge in Rural Avant-Garde: The Mountain Lake Experience, an exhibition showcasing the collaborative creative works that emerged from nearly four decades of the Mountain Lake Workshop series. Founded by artist and scholar Ray Kass in 1980 and co-organized with influential art critic Dr. Donald B. Kuspit, Dr. Howard Risatti, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), The Mountain Lake Workshops integrated the arts and sciences in a dynamic experimental creative process that pushed past the traditional boundaries of art, dance, performance, and theater.