The Infinite Art Tournament, Round FOUR: Eakins v. Feininger!

We celebrate the first weekend of even-numbered months with Fourth Round contests here in the Infinite Art Tournament.  It's an all-American December, with Tom Eakins facing off against the (to him) young whippersnapper Lionel Feininger!  Who will prevail?  Let's vote!

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Thomas Eakins
1844 - 1916
American

• Crushed German pioneer Adam Elsheimer in Round 1.
• Soundly defeated Belgian James Ensor in Round 2.
• Racked up a strong victory on late votes against Jan Van Eyck in Round 3.

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Lyonel Feininger
1871 - 1956
American; worked internationally

• Crushed Jean Fautrier in Round 1.
  
• Held off Carel Fabritius in Round 2 by a two-vote swing. YOUR VOTE COUNTS!!!
• Made it by Tsugouharu Foujita in Round 3

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Vote for the artist of your choice in the comments, or any other way that works for you. Commentary and links to additional work are welcome. Fourth-round matches are open for at least three months after posting.

The Songs of the Fifty States: Hawai'i

(What is "The Songs of the Fifty States"?)

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"Crab Claw Ginger" by Georgia O'Keeffe, under sponsorship from Dole Pineapple.

Hawai'i!

Size: 28,311 km² (42rd)

2012 Population: 1,392,313 (40th)

Statehood: 1959 (50th). 

American Human Development Index: 5.73 (8th -- way out of order)


Art Mecca: The Honolulu Museum of Art is the major player in terms of paintings of the European tradition and such like.  Mrs.5000 and I swept through a few days ago and found it a charming and welcoming, probably underpatronized, institution with a robust regional collection.  "Robust regional collection" means, here as elsewhere, lesser-but-still-quite-good paintings by names on the A-list hung next to very impressive paintings by names that sound vaguely familiar.  There is also, as you might expect, a very strong collection of Asian arts.

There was until recently a separate entity called The Contemporary Museum, but it merged with the then "Honolulu Academy of Arts" in 2011 to form the HMA.  From the tone of a FAQ about the merger, we can deduce that the Academy was by far the dominant partner in the merger, and that plenty of fans of TCM felt like their institution had been more or less devoured.  Bummer.

In the state's much smaller second city, the Hilo Art Museum opened with great promise and a credible starter collection in 2007, but crashed and burned in 2009.

There are of course a number of institutions dedicated to the traditional arts and culture of Hawai'i and Polynesia. In fact, I daresay that if you are specifically interested in Hawaiian art, this is probably the U.S. state with the richest offerings available.

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Michael 5000's Hawai'i

First Visited: November 23, 2013 (50th)
Most Recently Visited: December 3, 2013 (2nd)

First Run In: November 25th, 2013 (17th)
Best Run: 4.01 miles, Honolulu, November 25th, 2013.

Have Admired the Visual Arts In: Yes (see above).
Have Geohashed In: Once, unsuccessfully: Expedition #152.
Have Slept Overnight In: Yes.

Counties Visited: 2/5 (tied for 49th)
% Complete: 40% (24th)

Mrs. 5000's Counties Visited: 2/5
% Complete: 40%
Mrs.5000 First Visited: November 23, 2013 (50th)

Atlas of All Roads Travelled

Plans and Aspirations

It's easy enough to imagine various scenarios in which I might find myself back in Hawai'i.  But, it's even easier to imagine that the trip just finished was a one-time deal.

The Infinite Art Tournament, Left Bracket Second Round: Fouquet v. Fabritius!

Jean Fouquet
1425 - c. 1480
French

Lambasted by Tsugouharu Foujita in Round 1.
Knocked Dan Flavin's lights out in First Round Elimination.

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Carel Fabritius
1622 - 1654
Dutch

Skunked Henri Fantin-Latour in the Tournament's second-ever shutout in Round 1.
Lost to Lyonel Feininger by a two-vote swing in Round 2. YOUR VOTE COUNTS!

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Vote for the artist of your choice in the comments, or any other way that works for you. Commentary and links to additional work are welcome. Polls open for at least one month past posting, but likely much longer.

The Infinite Art Tournament, Round 2 TIEBREAK: Daumier v. Gainsborough!

The Gainsborough v. Gauguin match ended in a tie, ushering in at long last a chance for Daumier and Jacques David a chance to jump back into the action.  Here's the first of the tiebreak matches. 

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Honoré Daumier
1808 - 1879
French

Beat Dutch master Gerard David easily in Round 1.
Tied the Classical Revolutionary Jacques-Louis David in Round 2.

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Thomas Gainsborough
1727 - 1788
English

Beat Renaissance Florentine Taddeo Gaddi in an amazing come-from-behind victory in Round 1. YOUR VOTE COUNTS!!!
Tied with Paul Gauguin in a thrilling Round 2 shootout. YOUR VOTE SURE COUNTS!!!

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Vote for the artist of your choice in the comments, or any other way that works for you. Commentary and links to additional work are welcome. Polls open for at least one month past posting.

The Return of the Christmas Cad

The Christmas Cad was born last year as a typo in a typed conversation that was supposed to be about holiday greeting cards.

"What are your top 3 requirements in a Christmas cad?"

"He needs to treat me bad and push me around, but be one helluva dancer."

"waltz? salsa? ballet? You want a caddish ballet dancer for Christmas, don't you."

Soon I found myself writing little vignettes about our graceful holiday villain.  When I published them here on Infinite Art Tournament, the critics raved.  "This is horrible!" gushed reader gl., "well done."  "When can we expect our next installment?" demanded reader Ben.

Well!  To brighten your holidays this winter, IAT presents four brand-new, never-before seen Christmas Cad stories!  They will appear on the next three Mondays -- the 9th, 16th, and 23rd -- with a very special Christmas Cad story waiting under the tree on Christmas morning!

But first: today, to get you back into the holiday spirit, we reprise:

The Original Christmas Cad Stories

I. Christmas Morning

My Christmas cad came over on Christmas morning, but he wouldn't make conversation with my mother and father.

When I opened my present, it was a pair of ballet flats. "They're really for me," he said, "but you'll get to watch me in them."

I cried a little then, and he said I was being a silly bitch.

When my sister was opening her present from me, he called an ex-girlfriend on his phone. Then he said there were things he needed to do, and left.

Dad says there's sixty dollars missing from his wallet.

I know he's not good for me, but I love him so much!


II. Caroling

I'm so happy that my Christmas cad came caroling with Robert, Jessica, Samantha, and me!

He has such a beautiful voice.

We raised over $150 for charity!

He and Jessica are going to turn in the money first thing tomorrow.

I was hoping that the two of us could do something afterwards, but I know he hates it when I'm clingy.

I guess I'll go to bed early.


III. The Pageant

It made me feel so warm and happy and... joyful, really, when my Christmas cad asked me to watch his little brother's holiday pageant with him!

I guess he must have had to stay late at work.

The little guy did a great job. He's so handsome and talented -- just like his big brother!

After the first act, I saw him looking out at the audience from behind the curtain. I think he was trying not to cry.

He was a perfect little gentleman when he told me he wasn't supposed to accept rides from strangers.

I sure hope he finds a way home.


next Monday: "IV. The Christmas Party"

The Infinite Art Tournament, Round One: Hockney v. Hodgkin!

David Hockney
Born 1937
British; works in United States

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Howard Hodgkin
Born 1932
American

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Vote for the artist of your choice!  Votes go in the comments.  Commentary and links to additional work are welcome.  Polls open for at least one month past posting.

The Infinite Art Tournament, Left Bracket Second Round: Fantin-Latour v. Fontana!

Henri Fantin-Latour
1836 - 1904
French

Skunked by Carol Fabritius in Round 1.
Pummeled Jean Fautrier in First Round Elimination.

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Lucio Fontana
1899 - 1968
Argentinian

Beat neon light guy Dan Flavin by a single vote in Round 1. YOUR VOTE COUNTS!
Lost to Tsugouharu Foujita in Round 2.

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Vote for the artist of your choice in the comments, or any other way that works for you. Commentary and links to additional work are welcome. Polls open for at least one month past posting, but likely much longer.