Melissa Auf der Maur's '90s Rock Photographs to Debut at Art Gallery of Ontario

Melissa Auf der Maur, known for her roles as bassist in Hole and Smashing Pumpkins, is set to unveil her extensive archive of 1990s rock photography in a new exhibition and monograph. The show, titled 'My '90s Rock Photographs,' will open this autumn at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto, featuring over 200 images captured during her years of touring and recording with both bands. The accompanying book, published by Da Capo Press, is available for $65 CA / $49.95 US. Auf der Maur, now based in Hudson, NY, where she co-founded the multidisciplinary art center Basilica Hudson, described the project as a culmination of her lifelong dream to establish herself as a fine art photographer. The exhibition follows her acclaimed 2024 memoir, 'Even the Good Girls Will Cry: A '90s Rock Memoir,' and precedes a new album, 'Bass Womb Room,' featuring 4-track demos and field recordings from the era. In an interview with Wallpaper* magazine, Auf der Maur discussed her creative resurgence, which she attributes to motherhood and a desire to integrate her past and present. She also revealed plans for a mixed-media installation within the exhibition, inspired by a three-dimensional sound dream she had at age 19, and noted that she recently reunited with Smashing Pumpkins on stage at Lollapalooza in Chicago, performing 'The Everlasting Gaze.' She also mentioned singing on Courtney Love's upcoming solo record and hinted at a 'big resurrection' for Love in 2027.