Thanks to R.E.M.

Every Athenian and music lover is well aware that R.E.M. has decided to call it quits after playing together for 31 years. The alternative rock band has donated endless time and nods to Athens in its long career, and we at the Georgia Museum of Art could not be more thankful.

Here at GMOA, R.E.M. has continued its support throughout the years with donations and sponsorships and by showcasing the permanent collection. In 1991, R.E.M. used three paintings from the Georgia Museum of Art’s permanent collection in its video for “Low,” including “La Confidence” by Elizabeth Jane Gardner. The paintings were intertwined with real models and editing technology to enliven the images and helped to attract a new audience to the museum.

Among numerous Elegant Salute events at the museum, the band also sponsored several exhibitions over the years: “Lord Love You: Works by R.A. Miller from the Mullis Collection” in 2009, “Weaving His Art on Golden Looms: Paintings and Drawings by Art Rosenbaum” in 2006 and “Becoming a Nation: Americana from the Diplomatic Reception Rooms, U.S. Department of State” in 2003.

To Michael Stipe, Bill Berry, Mike Mills and Peter Buck, thank you for years of support and artistic interpretations of this beautiful town of Athens.

Here is a last look at the "Low" music video including images from the Georgia Museum's permanent collection.