Melissa Auf der Maur, known for her role as the bassist in the 1990s rock band Hole, has turned to photography to document and reflect on her formative years in the music scene. Her newly published book, *Melissa Auf der Maur: My ’90s Rock Photographs*, offers an intimate visual record of the alternative rock era, capturing moments both on and off stage. The book is accompanied by an exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario, running through June 6, 2027.
Born in Montreal in 1972, Auf der Maur’s early introduction to photography came as a teenager during a visit to Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, where she took her first self-portrait. She described photography as a powerful means of agency, allowing her to create and control her own narrative well before her involvement in music. Her transition into rock was influenced by her immersion in the countercultural movement and the radical female artists of the time.
As a member of Hole, Auf der Maur balanced her dual role as musician and documentarian, often carrying a camera on tour to capture candid and unguarded moments. Her close relationship with frontwoman Courtney Love provided unique access, enabling her to portray Love with nuance and empathy amid a public image often marked by controversy. Auf der Maur emphasized the trust Love placed in her, allowing the photographer to capture a more authentic portrayal of the musician’s persona.
One of the key photographs featured in the collection was taken during a 1994 Lollapalooza tour when Love was asked to produce a tour diary for Spin magazine. For the tour, Auf der Maur used a Nikon point-and-shoot camera with a wide-angle lens to accommodate the fast pace and dynamic environment, capturing everything from intimate backstage preparations to expansive crowd scenes. The photograph, taken near the end of a three-week tour co-headlined with Sonic Youth, reflects a rare moment of strength and cohesion within a band grappling with addiction, loss, and rivalries.
Reflecting on her career, Auf der Maur describes her time with Hole as defining both personally and professionally, shaping her identity beyond the music. While acknowledging her later work with the Smashing Pumpkins and as an art photographer, she points to the ’90s rock period as a formative era that continues to inform her creative vision. She also notes the contrast between the limitations of analog photography in that era and the current digital abundance, advocating for intentionality and storytelling in visual work.
The exhibition and book together offer a deeply personal and authentic viewpoint on a pivotal time in rock history, filtered through the eyes of a figure who lived it both on stage and behind the camera.