American artist, writer, photographer, and musician
Jeremy Ayers
Born
1948
Died
October 24, 2016 (aged 67–68)
Nationality
American
Occupations
Artist
writer
photographer
musician
Jeremy Ayers (1948 – October 24, 2016) was an American artist, writer, photographer, and musician.[1] Ayers was a member of the Athens, Georgia, creative community. Early in his career he was Warhol superstar (under the name Sylva Thinn) and wrote a column for Interview magazine. He published three books of photography, and co-wrote songs for The B-52's and R.E.M.[2][3][4] In 2021, a newly discovered species of ant (Strumigenys ayersthey) was named in his honor.[5]
Life and death
Born Charles Jerry Ayers, he grew up in Athens, Georgia where his father Robert H. Ayers taught theology at the University of Georgia.[6] In the 1970s, Ayers became involved with Andy Warhol's Factory as the androgynous "Sylva Thinn" (sometimes written as "Silva Thin") and wrote a column for Interview magazine.[7][4]
Ayers published three books of photography (Aeronautica, 2011; Today in New York, 2011; and Occupy!, 2012), which featured scenes from Athens, New York City street life, and Occupy Wall Street.[2][4] He also appeared in David Bailey's 1973 documentary on Warhol.[8]
Ayers was credited as co-writer of "52 Girls" from the debut album of The B-52's.[3] He also worked with fellow Athens musicians R.E.M., co-writing the song "Old Man Kensey" from the 1985 album Fables of the Reconstruction.[4]
His father Robert was a civil rights advocate and professor of religion at the University of Georgia.[2][5]
On October 24, 2016, Ayers died unexpectedly of a seizure at the age of 68.[5]
Legacy
Following his death, the Athens Institute for Contemporary Art presented a month-long exhibition featuring Ayers's work titled "Out There: Photographs in the spirit of Jeremy Ayers."[9] In addition to photographs taken by Ayers, the exhibit included photography done by other artists taken "in the same spirit" of his work.[9]
In 2017 Ayers's friend Michael Stipe presented an art installation in his honor at Moogfest in Durham, North Carolina.[3] The installation, titled "Jeremy Dance," featured footage of Ayers dancing to a 120 beats per minute disco song; Stipe then paired the dancing footage with music specially composed (using a Moog synthesizer and a Roland Juno) to match Ayers's movements.[3]
In 2021 German entomologist Phillip Hoenle discovered a new species of ant, which he sent to Yale University taxonomic expert Douglas Booher.[10] After receiving the blessing of Stipe, Booher decided to name the ant Strumigenys ayersthey after Ayers.[5] The "they" in ayersthey refers to the singular they "in a celebration of gender diversity."[11] According to Booher, Ayers himself identified as a gay man; the "they" suffix was intended to honor both Ayers's LGBT activism and the non-binary community.[10]
