MELISSA AUF DER MAUR launches Petra Szilagyi

Musician, photographer and writer Melissa Auf der Maur shares stories from her memoir Even the Good Girls Will Cry and her pro human artistic approach. She explores her analog era artistic process from her touring years before digital media transformed creative culture.

Melissa, host of this episode, launches interdisciplinary sculptor Petra Szilagyi to discuss their interactive prayer space work and the Apocalypse Anonymous project. Together, they explore a 12 step spiritual framework, sacred artistic spaces, and how independent artists build community outside corporate spaces.

 

What You Will Learn in This Episode

✅ How Melissa Auf der Maur draws from her analog era artistic process.
✅ Why Petra Szilagyi built an interactive prayer space for real connection.
✅ How the Apocalypse Anonymous project creates community through recovery.
✅ How cross generational creative connection sustains art outside corporate spaces.

LaunchLeft champions artists for whom radical creativity is a necessity. Support these artists by streaming, sharing, and showing up at live events. Donate to keep independent, left-of-center voices thriving. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to rate, subscribe, and leave a review to help more listeners discover LaunchLeft!

 

TIMESTAMPS

00:05 Melissa Auf der Maur introduces Petra Szilagyi
02:07 Meeting through Hawthorne Valley Farm and shared spiritual Waldorf connections
10:10 Breakthrough spiritual moments and Melissa on memoir Even the Good Girls Will Cry 18:00 Petra on studying politics, music, and the unveiling after September 11th
23:30 Studying performance art, West Africa experiences, and Yoruba knowledge systems 28:20 Leaving tour life to found Basilica Hudson non profit arts center
36:30 Petra on 12 step recovery, prayer, and building the first interactive prayer space
44:48 Petra Szilagyi is launched as they discuss post human experience and technology
55:02 Exploring the Apocalypse Anonymous project and redefining the apocalypse
01:05:24 Translating 12 step spiritual framework into community arts and future gatherings

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• True creative freedom requires stepping away from digital noise to build grounded physical spaces for community.
• Embracing an interactive prayer space allows artists to foster spiritual connection without relying on rigid religious dogma.
• The Apocalypse Anonymous project shows how recovery tools can transform existential anxiety into collective artistic expression.
• Long-term artistic authenticity thrives when creators build independent platforms and foster cross generational creative connection.

 

ABOUT THE GUESTS

MELISSA AUF DER MAUR Before becoming the bassist for 90s alternative rock bands Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins, Montreal born Melissa Auf der Maur studied photography at Concordia University. She maintained her daily practice while on the road, requesting a roll of 35mm film at every venue as part of her rider, resulting in over 10,000 images documenting life onstage and away from crowds. A major exhibition of Auf der Maur's photographs is on view at the Art Gallery of Ontario from September 2, 2026, accompanied by a hardback photobook published by the AGO and DelMonico Books. Her photographs have been featured in National Geographic and Spin, and in 2010 she cofounded the non profit arts center Basilica Hudson in upstate New York. This past March, Auf der Maur published her memoir, Even the Good Girls Will Cry.

PETRA SZILAGYI Petra Szilagyi is an interdisciplinary sculptor, artist, and educator currently based in Somerville, Massachusetts. Raised in Los Angeles and educated at Williams College and VCU, Szilagyi works extensively with woodworking, installation, performance, and visual art and sculpture. Their work focuses on exploring spiritual awakening through contemporary art and sculpture while designing non denominational sacred artistic spaces that invite public participation. Szilagyi created the Apocalypse Anonymous project, an interactive initiative blending a 12 step spiritual framework with contemporary art and performance. Their installations have been featured at major venues including MASS MoCA and the Center for Contemporary Arts in Lagos, Nigeria.

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Even the Good Girls Will Cry by Melissa Auf der Maur
• Basilica Hudson
• MASS MoCA
• LaunchLeft Podcast Smart Link

 

GUEST RESOURCES

MELISSA LINKS:

• https://x333x.net/
• https://basilicahudson.org/
• https://www.instagram.com/x333x/

PETRA LINKS:

• https://www.petraszilagyi.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/auntiebotox/

 

SEO KEYWORDS

LaunchLeft podcast, Melissa Auf der Maur interview, Petra Szilagyi, Hole, Smashing Pumpkins, independent musicians, DIY music artists, women in alternative music, creative process interview, artistic authenticity, self-produced music, alternative rock podcast, underground music scene, Emerging artists music, Independent music podcast, Rain Phoenix podcast, Alternative rock podcast, Underground music, new wave and punk podcast, Even the Good Girls Will Cry, analog era artistic process, Apocalypse Anonymous project, interactive prayer space, pro human artistic approach, visual art and sculpture, cross generational creative connection, 12 step spiritual framework, post human experience, non profit arts center, sacred artistic spaces.