Melissa Auf der Maur’s photographs from the 1990s capture far more than the chaos and excitement of life inside the alternative rock scene. For her, they became a way of documenting a changing world and making sense of where she fit within it.
Before joining Hole and later The Smashing Pumpkins, Auf der Maur studied photography at Montreal’s Concordia University. While touring throughout the ’90s, she kept that creative practice alive, carrying a camera alongside her bass and capturing everything from backstage moments and hotel rooms to life onstage and on the road.
Now, decades later, more than 200 of those images are featured in her new exhibition, My ’90s Rock Photographs, at Toronto’s Art Gallery of Ontario. The collection was selected from a personal archive of more than 10,000 photographs and offers an intimate look at a pivotal era in music and culture.
She says the photographs still have something to teach us today. In her conversation with The Edge host Drex, she reflects on the importance of looking inward, being present and protecting a sense of individuality in an increasingly digital world.
Watch the video above to hear Melissa Auf der Maur explain the message behind her photography and why she hopes it continues to inspire people today.
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