Series I: Visual Arts, 1923-2017, inclusive; 1990-2016, bulk

This subseries focuses on Jeremy Ayers as a photographer. The majority of the photographs in this subseries were taken by Ayers, but there are also photographs that feature Ayers, but were not taken by him. Ayers' photographs are both personal and artistic in nature and include photographic prints, negatives, and large format prints for exhibitions. Photographs in this series document Ayers' time with Andy Warhol's Factory and Ayers' alter ego "Sylvia Thinn"; the Occupy Wall Street movement; Ayers' everyday life and friendships; his family including his father Robert H. Ayers and partner Daniel Nelson; his travels to Japan, Costa Rica, Venice, Edisto Beach, and New York City; his former band, Limbo District; animals, nature, and landscape scenes; and notable individuals such as singer Patti Smith, R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe, B-52s singers Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson, and activist MaVynee Betsch.

This subseries also contains several examples of Ayers' artistic photographic series including his Magnifying Lens series, which features a magnifying lens held in different locations by various people and images distorted by placing the magnifying lens on top of the camera lens. This subseries also features his Oval Crystal series, which depict various people holding a necklace with an oval crystal in different locations.

In addition to printed and digital photographs, the subseries contains copies of Ayers' published photography books: Aeronautica (2011), Today in New York (2011), and Occupy!: Photos from the First 6 Weeks of #OccupyWallStreet (2012).

Researchers should be aware, for subjects and topics with both print and digital photographs, the digital files include a larger sample of photographs, including those that are printed.

The majority of the video footage found in this subseries was shot by Jeremy Ayers and document the life and culture of Athens, Georgia. The videos also capture aspects of Ayers' everyday life and those who were part of his life. The short film Carnival, which was a collaboration between Limbo District and local Athens filmmaker James Herbert, is also found in this subseries. Materials in this subseries exist in a physical analog format and a digital format. Analog videos in this subseries have been listed with the original titles found on the tapes.

Audio in this subseries was created either by Jeremy Ayers, as in the case of "Drums" and Ayers' interview with his father, Robert; created for Ayers, as in the case of "For Jeremy, Song of Bike Trip"; or created by groups that Ayers had a professional affiliation, as in the case of the R.E.M. vinyl discs. Materials in this series exist in a physical analog format and a digital format.

The artwork found in this subseries consists of Jeremy Ayers' pen and ink drawings; and sketches of people, original creatures, and designs. This subseries contains a sketchbook; photocopies of artwork; photographs of Ayers' artwork; transparencies; loose pieces of sketches and drawings; and collages like the one featured in the "R.E.M. Pageantry: What Noisy Cats We Are" tour program.