Henry Rollins at the Oak Park Public Library

Please join us in celebrating the publication of Henry Rollins' first book of photography, Occupants. 

For the past 25 years, Henry Rollins has searched out the most desolate corners of the Earth—from Iran to Iraq, China to Syria, and beyond—articulating his observations through music and words, on radio and television, and in magazines and books. Though he’s known for the raw power of his expression, Rollins has shown that the greatest statements can be made with the simplest of acts: to just bear witness, to be present. In Occupants, Rollins invites us to do the same.

The book pairs Rollins’s visceral full-color photographs, taken in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Kyrgystan, Mali, Nepal, North Korea, Northern Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Siberia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and elsewhere over the last few years, with writings that not only provide context and magnify the impact of the images, but lift them to the level of political commentary. Simply put, this book is a visual testimony of anger, suffering, and resilience that will help its readers realize what is so easy to miss when tragedy and terror become numbing, constant forces—the quieter, stronger forces of healing, solidarity, faith, and even joy.

Henry Rollins joined the Southern California band Black Flag as vocalist in 1981. Upon its demise, he formed Rollins Band, and has been making records, writing books, and touring the world ever since. Rollins has averaged over one hundred shows a year for over 30 years. He also performs in movies and TV shows and hosts a weekly L.A. radio show. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

This event is co-sponsored by The Book Table and the Oak Park Public Library. It is FREE and open to the public.