Ten x Ten is a collaboration between visual artists and musicians exploring visual and auditory interaction. By challenging artists to conceptualize their work across media, Ten x Ten asks participants to stretch and expand their creative process. Through producing a limited edition compilation and public presentation of the resulting artworks, Ten x Ten documents, celebrates, and promotes Chicago’s artistic community.
The Ten x Ten project began in 2010 as a way to upend the usual creative economy between Chicago bands and printmakers--a relationship largely built around show posters. Originally conceived by Colin Palombi in partnership with Spudnik Press Cooperative, the project is now realized by the efforts of Homeroom and a rotating cast of individuals and organizations.
Each iteration of the project results in an album featuring new musical works and a book of corresponding screen prints.
Listen to Ten x Ten 2020/22
Participating Artists (visual artists listed first, composers second)
Susan Giles with Amy Wurtz
Carlos Matallana with Ben LaMar Gay
Jessie Mott with Trevor Watkin
Michelle Nordmeyer with Andrew McManus
Explore and buy Ten x Ten 2020/22 prints:
“A River is Found on the Other End”
18x18. Designed and hand printed by Yoonshin Park
Listen and buy recordings from past Ten x Ten projects:
Order your Ten x Ten recordings and prints! The booklet was released on Aug 26th, 2022 at the closing reception of the Ten x Ten gallery exhibit at the Chicago Art Department, and the vinyl recordings will be available in June 2023.
Secure your copy now:
12" vinyl record with 10 commissioned compositions performed by Chicago Composers Orchestra
Booklet with images of 10 commissioned screen prints; joint statements from the artist-composer pairs; and project information
Digital download included
*Free local pickup or Flat rate shipping costs: $10 for shipping within the US; $20 for international addresses outside of US. Shipping costs will be added at checkout.
The fifth and most conceptually broad iteration of Ten x Ten, ‘Ten x Ten 2017: Dual Practices’ brought together 10 notable Chicago artists who have robust practices in both visual art and music. By considering questions about boundaries and location, Ten x Ten 2017 investigated Chicago neighborhood identities, urban change, and comfort in space and place.
Five artist pairs collaborated over several months to each create a two-part work that includes a song or audio piece and an 18” x 18” screen print. The results of these partnerships were released with a concert and gallery exhibition at Experimental Sound Studio on Saturday, September 9th.
The cassette features sonic works by each Ten x Ten artist pairing as well as a fold out booklet with their coinciding prints and descriptions of their works.
Featured artists pairs for Ten x Ten Dual Practices are:
Melina Ausikaitis / Ambrosia Bartošekulva
Mark Booth / Deidre Huckabay
Cathy Hsiao / Damon Locks
Lou Mallozzi / Joseph Clayton Mills
Allen Moore / Sadie Woods
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Alex Inglizian at
Experimental Sound Studio.
Ten x Ten, 2015 Edition
Ten x Ten is a collaborative project between visual artists and musicians. Now in its fourth and most ambitious iteration, Ten x Ten 2015 will bring together 20 notable Chicago visual artists and musicians under the curatorial guidance of three distinct Chicago organizations: Elastic Arts, Homeroom, and Spudnik Press.
Below is a full list of collaborations and events for the project that will unfold throughout 2015. Graphic Notation 101, a free public lecture on February 8, will serve as the kick off event for the project.
Please join the Ten x Ten mailing list to hear updates as the project develops over the course of the year and visit tenxtenchicago.com for weekly blog updates.
Visual Artists
Salvador Andrade Arévalo
Jerome Bryerton
Uriel Correa
Rob Funderburk
Trevor Goosen
Andrew Holmquist
Hannah Ireland
Vesna Jovanovic
Alexander Stewart
Cynthia Weiss
Musicians
Josh Berman
Paul Giallorenzo
Anton Hatwich
Keefe Jackson
Peter Maunu
Eli Namay
Ryan Packard
Cameron Pfiffner
Jason Stein
Phil Sudderberg
The vision of Ten x Ten is to go beyond a typical call-and-response collaboration by encouraging artists and musicians to deeply investigate the creative process. Over the course of eight months, participants will stretch and explore their artistic practice in a cross-media collaboration with another artist, with the results reflected back to the public through exhibitions, performances, and a collectable compilation.
The 2015 iteration brings together visual artists and musicians that incorporate improvisation into their art practice. Elastic Arts joins the project as Guest Curator to highlight the Chicago jazz community and to investigate how artists across media interpret improvisation. Dave Rempis and Paul Giallorenzo, both well-known as musicians and organizers in the Chicago jazz scene, have hand-selected ten musicians to create an ensemble whose members will compose the new works commissioned through this project. Visual artists were invited by Homeroom Curator Colin Palombi, and represent a broad spectrum of styles and traditions, from street art to abstraction.
Ten x Ten is a collaboration between visual artists and musicians exploring visual and auditory interaction. By challenging artists to conceptualize their work across media, Ten x Ten asks participants stretch and expand their creative process. Through producing a limited edition compilation and public presentation of the resulting artworks, Ten x Ten documents, celebrates, and promotes Chicago’s artistic community.
Ten visual artists and ten recording artists were matched up and collaborated in pairs to produce a song/print on the theme “Found and Lost”. The 2012 edition, curated by Dan “Sully” Sullivan and Colin Palombi.
Featured print and song collaborations:
Brian Hofmeister with Defcee
Colin Palombi with Knife Gang
Jeremy Tinder with Add-2
Joe Tallarico with Phillip Morris
Justin Santora with Tomorrow Kings
Krista Franklin with Avery R. Young
Liz Born with Animate Objects
Lovercraft with Ugochi
Nate Beaty with Wes Restless
Revise with Luna Blues Machine
The collection of prints includes a CD with ten unique tracks, a hand-printed folio, and a plastic protective sleeve.
Screenprints; Compact Disc
Edition: 2oo
Dimensions: 10×10″
More details at tenxtenchicago.com
Explore our YouTube playlist of past Ten x Ten performances
Past Events
The musical element of Ten x Ten will be celebrated on Thursday, May 3rd at the Hideout with a concert featuring:
Animate Objects
Wes Restless and the Jordan Years
The Luna Blues Machine
and hosted by:
Knife Gang
The Urban Sandbox is an all ages multi-canvassed Open Mic that takes place at Logan Square’s Comfort Station The long running event features visual art, spoken word, comedy, music & more.
This month will celebrate the completion and release of Ten x Ten with Defcee, members of Animate Objects, and Tomorrow Kings.
18x18. Designed and hand printed by Rodrigo Lara Zendejas.