On this occasion, Melissa Auf der Maur will converse with Sophie Hackett, Curator of Photography at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), to look back on her experience at the heart of the alternative rock scene of the 1990s, the memories that marked her career, and the stories behind her photographs.
With Melissa Auf der Maur
Born in Montreal, Melissa Auf der Maur studied photography at Concordia University before becoming the bassist for the alternative rock bands Hole, in the 90s, and then the Smashing Pumpkins. On the road, she kept taking photos, and requested a 35 mm roll of film from every concert venue in her tech rider. This approach gave birth to an archive of more than 10,000 images documenting life on stage and far from the crowd. Her autobiography, Even The Good Girls Will Cry, was published in spring 2026 by Da Capo and Grand Central Publishing.