Rational Rec's monthly interdisciplinary arts events ran from October 2005 to July 2008, usually at Bethnal Green Working Men's Club but also in collaboration with Southbank Centre, Whitechapel Gallery and Spitalfields Festival. These events incorporated visual art, live art, film, contemporary and experimental music with drinking, conversation and meeting friends, and were co-organised with Matthew Shlomowitz and Cecilia Wee.
Our curatorial focus brought the best international artists to London for rare performances of their work, as well as showcasing emerging artists who live in London and the UK. Full details of the past programme, including images and video, can be found on the Rational Rec website.
We believe one of the most special things about Rational Rec is the unique cross-media emphasis, creating a space where visual artists, musicians, performers and an interested public can meet and talk about John Cage, existential gestures in contemporary live art practice, and the latest football scores or where they went on holiday. The works performed at Rational Rec would be more at home in the Royal Festival Hall or Barbican, but in Bethnal Green Working Men's Club you can experience the best in contemporary music and art with a bar always ready to hand.
After three seasons Rational Rec is changing. We will no longer be working in a seasonal structure, and are currently in discussion about future projects and collaborations. To find out more information as it is released, join the Rational Rec mailing list.
62 Eastway, London E9 5JH // hello@russellmartin.org.uk