Ric Francis Photography: Documentary photography in East Central Africa and Norway

Damn, This Neighborhood Is Changing

The neighborhoods of Tøyen and Grønland border one another; they have long been home to working class and minority Norwegians - walking distance to central Oslo. 

One of the things that many newcomers find appealing about the area is its ethnic diversity. However gentrification has forced many minority Norwegians to relocate elsewhere - transforming the neighborhoods into growing enclaves for upperclass Norwegians. 

  • Norway has historically been a predominately mono-culture, yet it’s growing as a multi-cultural society. The neighborhoods of Grønland and Tøyen border one another, and they’re the most diverse neighborhoods in Norway. They’ve been targeted by real estate developers for gentrification because they’re walking distance to central Oslo. For many years both Grønland and Tøyen were the cheapest neighborhoods in Oslo, but they were viewed as undesirable because of social issues: crime, drugs and lower income residents. One of the most appealing characteristics of the two neighborhoods is diversity and that is at risk because of gentrification, which is forcing many African and Muslims to leave due to the higher cost of living.
  •  A musician, who is originally from The Gambia, and a young girl exchange a smile while he plays a kora outside a train station. The kora is a harp-like instrument from West Africa.
  • A Norwegian woman, wearing a hijab, and a young boy walk through Tøyen Square. The square has been renovated to include cafes and restaurants.
  • Diners and pedestrians reflected in a cafe’s window.
  • Pedestrians on a local street.
  • An apartment building and passersby are reflected in a puddle. The value of real estate in the area has skyrocketed because of buyer demand. Consequently the demographics of residents has changed.
  • Vaterlands Park caters to a diverse crowd. What the park has in abundance is atmosphere and incident allowing very different people to casually come together for cultural and social exchanges. It’s a park where immigrants and open-minded creatives, who find the layers of culture agreeable, create an environment for socializing that is unlike any in Norway.
  • Deeqa Mohammed Osman, left, and Luul Mohamed take a selfie. Luul's daughter Ilhan Fuad Afrat, 12, waits in the foreground. The women are longtime residents of Tøyen.
  • Hair stylist Freddy Larssen has operated his hair salon for over 50 years. His neighbor Muluken Tabor, right, speaks with potential customers outside Merkata, his second-hand store, which he has owned since 2010. Muluken arrived in Norway from Ethiopia in 1997. In February 2023, he was forced to relocate his store because the landlord wanted to rent to a more upscale business.
  • Freddy Larssen, center, enjoys the camaraderie of long-time customers and friends; he has operated his barbershop for over fifty-years at this location.
  • Passersby take stock of items for sale at Muluken Tabor’s second-hand store, which he has owned since 2010.
  • The window of the former second-hand store Merkata is bare after the renter was forced to move; given the increased value of real estate in the neighborhood the building’s owner wants a more upscale tenant.
  • Graffiti, some of which express political statements, is not an uncommon sight in the area.
  • Pedestrians walk down a secluded street.
  • A child walking outside a local park shares laughter with another pedestrian.
  • Cecilie Ingebrigtsen applies makeup as she prepares to go to a local bar. Cecilie was born in Norway to a Guyanese mother and a Norwegian father. She's a long-time resident of the Tøyen area. {quote}I never had any problems in Tøyen, but I like the changes because it feels safer,{quote} stated Cecilie.
  • Garad Farah gets music selection advice from a fellow patron at Bydelskroa bar. Garad is originally from Somalia and arrived in Norway 30 years ago; he has lived in the Tøyen area for 20 years. Small local bars like this have closed and more upscale bars and cafes have taken their place as a result of gentrification.
  • A young couple sits atop a bus stop structure listening to music coming from one of the stages at the Øya Music Festival.
  • A man sleeps in Vaterlands Park.
  • The sun and snow contributes to a pleasant wintry day.
  • Vaterlands Park is a microcosm of Grønland before the initiation of urban renewal projects, in social class as in stigma. During a community meeting local residents complained about the sale of illegal drugs in the park and the need for renovations to make the park more child-friendly.
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  • Damn, This Neighborhood Is Changing
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  • Our Lord of Miracles
  • Paperless: Living in Limbo
  • Singles
  • About Me
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