SPILL NEWS: ‘MELISSA AUF DER MAUR: MY ‘90S ROCK PHOTOGRAPHS’ OPENS SEPTEMBER 2 AT THE AGO

MELISSA AUF DER MAUR: MY ‘90S ROCK PHOTOGRAPHS OPENS SEPTEMBER 2 AT THE AGO

EXHIBITION OF MORE THAN 200 PHOTOGRAPHS, VIDEOS, AND EPHEMERA, DOCUMENTS LIFE BACKSTAGE, ONSTAGE, AND IN THE CROWD, BEFORE CELL PHONES AND DIGITAL RECORDING

As bass player for iconic ‘90s alternative rock bands Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins, Melissa Auf der Maur toured the world. Camera at the ready, she documented life backstage, onstage, and in the crowd, amassing a personal archive of more than 10,000 images. This fall, the Art Gallery of Ontario presents Melissa Auf der Maur: My ‘90s Rock Photographs, an exhibition of more than 200 intimate photographs, videos, installation, and new music. Opening September 2, 2026, the exhibition is co-curated by the AGO’s Curator of Photography Sophie Hackett and Curator of Special Projects & Director of Publishing Jim Shedden.

Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Auf der Maur studied photography at Concordia University before becoming a member of two of the most celebrated bands of the ‘90s. Determined to maintain her artistic practice, Auf der Maur’s DIY approach while on tour involved adopting point-and-shoot 35mm cameras, using one-hour photo labs on the road, taking Polaroids, and lo-fi video. Raw, contemplative, spontaneous, and painterly, these images reveal an artist for whom photography was both anchor and an act of witnessing. And what she witnessed was more than just rock music—it was the corporatization of independent music, the end of analogue photography, and the loss of highly personalized, DIY irreverence.

“My tools—my camera and bass—ushered me into a life of passionate discovery, just as the tide of modern life was turning,” says Auf der Maur. “A quarter century later, what shines so clearly is that what I saw—and some of it was beautiful—was the hijacking, co-option, and digital corporate takeover of everything, especially a generation’s powerful music and spirit.”

AGO exhibition co-curator Sophie Hackett says, “A decade before the selfie became commonplace, Auf der Maur was photographing herself every day: on the road, at home, with bandmates and fellow musicians, dressed to go on stage, or in the bath with a bloody nose. Her work—drawing on her own experience—builds upon the work of feminist artists who came before, like Francesca Woodman and her Concordia University professor Raymonde April. These images are also a testament to the impact of Hole—the most successful woman-led rock band of the ’90s—and of Auf der Maur’s own role in it as both a stabilizing force and a powerhouse bass player. A clear-eyed witness, Auf der Maur has created an important record of what they all lived through, and of the moment.”

AGO exhibition co-curator Jim Shedden says, “These images are both a moving self-portrait of a young artist living through the ‘90s music scene and a portrait of a way we once were. They remind us of that previous era when our attention was not fragmented by social media. Both a time capsule of Generation X and a reference for future generations, it is with great excitement that we welcome Canadian audiences to experience Auf der Maur’s ‘90s photographs.”

Stan Cho, Minister, Tourism, Culture and Gaming, Ontario, says, “During the rise of alt-rock and grunge in ‘90s culture, Melissa Auf der Maur stood out as one of the best-known and most respected musicians of the era. This one-of-a-kind exhibition is a time-capsule, taking us beyond the glossy magazine covers for an honest and sometimes raw look at the people and music that made this a special moment in history. It’s a must-visit exhibition, and I would like to thank the AGO for bringing it to Toronto.”

Shannon Cole, Chief Brand Officer, RBC says, “We’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on an incredibly talented Canadian creative, Melissa Auf der Maur, for RBC’s fourth music-inspired exhibition partnership with the AGO. From exploring the lives of revered artists like Paul McCartney and Leonard Cohen to celebrating the history of hip-hop, supporting these world-class exhibitions bring to life our shared passion of championing the intersection of art, music, and culture, in ways that inspires and connects our communities.”

On view on Level 1 in Margaret Eaton Gallery (Gallery 137), Marvin Gelber Gallery (Gallery 136), and Betty Ann & Fraser Elliott Gallery (Gallery 135), Melissa Auf der Maur: My ‘90s Rock Photographs opens first to AGO Members on September 2, 2026, then to Annual Passholders on September 5 and the public beginning September 8, 2026. The exhibition will run until June 2027.

Admission to the AGO is always free for Ontarians under 25, Indigenous Peoples, AGO Members, and Annual Passholders. For more information on how to become a Member or Annual Passholder, visit ago.ca/membership/become-a-member.

About the Exhibition

Ranging from wide-eyed “how did I get here?” playfulness to wary self-examination, My ‘90’s Rock Photographs is suffused in the rich colours and textures of analogue photography and film. Varying in scale and format—from one-hour photo lab prints to select chromogenic enlargements, to digital video and Hi8 clips—the images on view attest to Auf der Maur’s candid and compulsive style.

Opening with Auf der Maur’s Montreal years and highlighting her life on tour as a performer in Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins, throughout these images of motel rooms, tour buses, empty roads, friends, and lovers, faces, places, and themes recur. Exploring self-portraiture, the transcendence of live performance, the communion that is live music, and woman as goddess, the exhibition is fueled by the propulsive energy of a trio of lead characters—notably Auf der Maur herself, the audience, as seen from the stage each night, and Hole lead singer Courtney Love.

Auf der Maur’s photographs create a complex portrait of Love. At once ruthlessly herself and keenly attuned to image, they witness Love living through some of the most difficult years of her life, all while embodying a powerful avatar of woman in rock music.

Relying on one-hour photo processing labs to develop film in real time, Auf der Maur filled small, puffy plastic photo albums with her images, curating and archiving them as she travelled. Facsimiles of these albums will be on view in the exhibition.

While these images have been rarely seen, Auf der Maur’s photography was by no means a secret and she was commissioned by leading music magazines to document what she saw. On view are images she took for SPIN magazine, including of Lollapalooza 1995, and the 1996 Tibetan Freedom Concert.

The exhibition concludes with a new immersive installation, Bass Womb Room (2026). An embodiment of Auf der Maur’s own dualling forces, the installation is a 360-degree surround of images, and sound, designed to bridge two very different states of being, the transcendent experience of performing on stage and the intimate, private inner self. “My bass,” says Auf der Maur, “is my magic wand that has allowed me to dance between two worlds.” The installation features a new, explorative score by Auf der Maur.

Publication

Launching in tandem with the exhibition comes Melissa Auf der Maur: My ‘90s Rock Photographs, a 240-page companion photography book co-published by AGO and DelMonico Books/D.A.P. Featuring extensive commentary by Auf der Maur, contributors to the book include Sophie Hackett, Elizabeth Grace Hale, Kevin Moore, Ann Powers, and Michael Stipe. The book arrives September 2, 2026, at the AGO’s Shop for $65 CAD. This publication is supported by the Sorel Etrog Fund. For more details, visit delmonicobooks.com/book/melissa-auf-der-maur-my-90s-rock-photographs/.

Programming Highlights

• On Saturday, March 21 at 3 p.m., the AGO celebrates the launch of Auf der Maur’s memoir Even the Good Girls Will Cry: A ‘90s Rock Memoir (Da Capo Press). Featuring the artist in conversation with AGO exhibition co-curators Sophie Hackett and Jim Shedden, Wavelength Music co-presents this free event. This event is now sold out. For more details, visit ago.ca/events/melissa-auf-der-maur-book-launch-and-signing.
• On Wednesday, September 9 beginning at 6 p.m., the AGO celebrates the launch of Melissa Auf der Maur: My ‘90s Rock Photographs, with a book signing event and exhibition opening. Open to all ages, this event is free with General Admission. Co-published by AGO and DelMonico Books/D.A.P.; copies of the book will be for sale on site. Stay tuned to ago.ca/events for more details.
• On Friday, January 15, 2027, the AGO welcomes musician and artist Melissa Auf der Maur for an intimate live performance in Walker Court, inspired by her immersive installation Bass Womb Room (2026). Tickets for this event will go on sale in the fall. Stay tuned to ago.ca/events for more details.

About Melissa Auf Der Maur

Melissa Auf der Maur was born and raised in Montreal, Canada with a fine arts education. She is an acclaimed musician, photographer, curator, and producer, best known as the former bassist of rock bands Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins. In 2010 she co-founded Basilica Hudson, a multidisciplinary art center in Hudson, NY, where she lives with her family and magic cats.

Melissa Auf der Maur: My ‘90s Rock Photographs is organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Artist Links

Background Photo Credit: Melissa Auf der Maur