Eivind: ‘Social distancing, loneliness, masks, fear of contamination. Not a nice time. There will be other years, they say, but at my age, I do not have those years.' Oslo, Norway
Eivind first moved into the block with his late partner, Erik, in the early 1980s. ‘There are many memories in my flat’, he writes in one of the postcards. ‘Art purchased from Høstutstillingen over the years. Everything bought with my late partner Erik…he is the biggest memory here.’ At the time, Eivind and Erik were the first openly gay couple in the block. They were drawn to its central location and enjoyed living there ever since.
From their previous home, they decided to bring along a plant which they then re-planted in the block’s gardens. Over the past forty years, the plant has grown and thrived, its green leaves climbing up the plaster-painted yellow. When the block recently received a new coat of paint, the workers took care of it, ensuring that it would not be damaged. Unlike the decaying rosebud in the plastic bag, the couple’s old plant will probably live on for a long time.
Over the years, tending to the gardens has brought Eivind immense pleasure. However, being in his seventies and living with chronic illness, his health prevents him from being as involved as before and he has had to get help from other volunteers. He is frustrated with COVID measures, and he has found living alone deeply isolating.
