Taylor Hoang, Michael Gabalis, Anusha Jain, Mia Nguyen

Olivia Gunn

SCAND367

21 May 2021

Don't ever wipe tears without gloves, "Love"

Annotations:

1st Image:

● Pay attention to formal features of the image

○ We see Benjamin’s father’s hand holding a napkin and glass cleaner up
against the window. The glass is smudged, and this is the only
imperfection among a picture perfect house.
○ The fact that his shirt and the wall are matching, bright green tones make
the household seem proper and put together. Supposedly, they are all
happy in their perfect, religious, and secure lives.
○ We see a close up of Benjamin’s father’s hand through the glass, as
opposed to in front of the glass. The first thing about this is the absence of
his face from the photo. This gives us a very impersonal view of his
father. Though outwardly, he is a seemingly happy and warm man, there
is more to him that we nor Benjamin are not able to see. This almost adds
a sense of fear of disobeyment in Benjamin’s case, because this
 impersonal connection makes him seem more cold and distant. Secondly,
this framing shows us that the window, something that is supposed to be
perfectly transparent, is slightly foggy. This might symbolize a lack of
clarity for Benjamin’s identity and future.
○ Similarly to the framing of the photo, the perspective adds depth to the
way we perceive his father. We are looking through the glass as if we are
inside his home while his father is on the opposite side. If the home
represents virtue and religion and we are viewing the film from
Benjamin’s perspective, then this perspective gives us the notion that
Benjamin is trapped in religion with no clear view of anything outside of
this. His attempt to “make his mark” is met with dissatisfaction and a
need by his father to clean it, who happens to simultaneously be
obstructing the view into the outside world in the image.
● Free association

●
○ This image is from the same film, Love, taken at time 42:02
○ This is a flashback from Rasmus’ childhood, where his father points out
the white elk in the forest, saying that people used to try to kill them
because they were different. To this, Rasmus responds saying that they
still exist though. The whole family stares in wonder as the beautiful elk
grazes through the forest
○ This screenshot serves as a juxtaposition to the first image. While the first
picture looks through unclear glass, this one takes place in an open field
with nothing obstructing the view of the elk. In addition, the first image
has an eerie theme of conformity, with the color scheme and the need of
 Benjamin’s father to make sure everything is clean. However, this scene
shows the white elk standing out, pointing to individuality and how it is a
good thing.
○ This image makes me wonder what Rasmus’ parents would truly think
about him coming out. We know by assumption that Benjamin’s parents
would not be pleased, given that it is against their religion. However, even
though homosexuality is against their beliefs as foreshadowed in the
scene where they’re watching the news about the AIDS pandemic, this
scene makes me wonder if they would be accepting of Rasmus being
different from everyone else.
○ The image makes me feel a sense of wonder, which I think is perfectly
encapsulated by the use of the word “magic”. Everyone is standing in awe
of the white elk, and it is truly a sight to behold given that they’re so rare
and so beautiful. This is as opposed to the first image, which almost
makes me feel trapped in the eerily sterile environment.
○ Information about the artist or painting
○ The cinematographer, Stefan Kullänger, makes use of focus and
perspective to draw your attention to certain symbolisms. In the picture
above, your focus is drawn to the action of Benjamin’s father wiping the
window, while the rest of the image is blurred. Similarly, when we are
looking at Rasmus in the next photo, his hand on the window is also in
focus. The main difference is that we are looking at it from the same side
as Rasmus, indicating that this is through his perspective and how he is
about to experience the world
○ It is also important to note that this film is a drama, hence the use of
romance and emotion-evoking flashbacks/foreshadowing in order to move
the plot along.
2nd Image:

● Pay attention to formal features of the image

○ In this image, we notice that Rasmus is writing his name on the clear
glass. The surrounding fog makes his name visible. Behind the glass, we
see the blurry green background. This may suggest that he is on a moving
object like a train. This focus of the camera makes his name become more
obvious and distinctive.
○ Taking a closer look, he is trying to finish the last letter of his name, “S”.
We can think about his journey in life. This can indicate that he almost
arrives at the place where he wants to come and becomes the one who he
wants to be.
○ Looking at the image from another angle, we notice him staring at every
stroke of his name on the glass with a high concentration. It feels like he
is completing a masterpiece. He seems to pay more attention to this small
action compared to other people. Maybe, he has a secret that cannot be
told to anyone including friends and family. This movement might
suggest that as he is writing his name, he is also writing his own secret
and his true identity for others to see.
○ We also notice the image framed is set to be horizontal with Rasmus off to
the left side, rather than being at the center of the frame. A horizontal line
 is usually used to give a sense of space and indicates the continuation of
an object or movement. In addition, his name is on a horizontal line and
he is on a moving train. We can understand this as the director is trying to
imply that Rasmus’s journey has begun and is moving forward (with the
assumption that we read left to right, so right is “forward”).
○ Additionally, it is important to note that we are viewing this image from
behind Rasmus as he writes on the glass. By contrast, in the first picture,
we are viewing Benjamin’s father with the glass as a barrier between him
and the viewer.
○ Also in contrast, there is no one to wipe away Rasmus’ mark, which
implies there is no one to prevent him from being who he is in this phase
of his life

Free association

○ This image is from the same film, “Love,” at 6:05.

○ When linking the 2nd image with this scene, we know this is not the first
time he writes his name on the glass. In fact, he has been doing it since he
was little at school. Perhaps, since he was a little boy, he knew that he was
somehow different. By comparing the motions and facial expression, we
notice that there are some distinctive details between those two scenes.
○ We see an innocent boy trying to write his name on the glass. The
impression of the scene left is purely the curiosity of a child. However,
when we look at the scene when he is older, his handwriting is more firm
 and stronger and there is no more hesitation. It seems like the older
version of Rasmus now knows who he is.

○ This is taken from “Love” at 6:29. Interestingly, this scene is shown right
after the scene where he was a kid and on a moving train.
○ We notice the similar motion of Rasmus where he breathes into the glass,
creating the fog. However, he does not initiate the movement. It is the
nurse who wants to prove that he is still breathing.
○ This last image is like a warning ahead for his future. We notice another
detail that the colors in the hospital are mostly white and cold color tones.
Whereas in the first two images are composed of a series of warm colors
based like brown, tan color, etc. The transition from fresh and warm tones
to cold tones of color indicates the contrast between different periods of
time in Rasmus’s life (child, young adult, adult)
○ This also shows the contrast between his states throughout the
development: he goes from curiosity about himself to eager to be himself,
and now he is himself just not as expected.

Information about the artist or painting

○ There is an interesting fact about the series “Don’t ever wipe tears without
gloves” and the release date. According to a review on Liberty Without
Dust, the publication date of the series was December 2nd, 2013 to mark
 the World AIDS day December 2013. This fact makes the movie even
more powerful in delivering the message to the world.

Analysis:

The 1980s saw the beginning of the AIDS pandemic, marked by a weakened immune

system and almost a 100% death rate in those who had it. People didn’t understand it, as the

progression of the disease to death happened very rapidly, and no one knew how it spread. In an

unfortunate coincidence, the majority of cases tended to be amongst gay men and because of

this, homophobia’s prevalence was heightened across the globe, including in Stockholm where

the film takes place (3 Warburton). The first episode, while mostly focused on the progression of

Rasmus and Benjamin’s self-discovery, heavily foreshadows their inevitable fates. The film

introduces the concept of their homosexualities in flashbacks to their childhood, marking their

growing out of innocence. It simultaneously shows Rasmus and Benjamin engaging in

homosexual acts in their present day and Rasmus in the hospital in the future, marking their total

loss of innocence. The film utilizes a theme of Rasmus and Benjamin’s innocence to recreate the

innocence that many people had in Stockholm in the 1980s surrounding the AIDS crisis. We as

viewers have the upperhand in being able to see foreshadowing of their succumbing to AIDS, but

all the main characters see is their love for each other and passion for other people. News of

outbreaks reaches the news which begins to scare their parents, but they still lack knowledge of

protection and how the disease progresses. Overall, while the AIDS pandemic was marked by

high death rates, homophobia, and fights for new legislature and pharmaceutical advancements,

the first episode of “Love” demonstrates more of the beginning of the pandemic, when innocence

(and/or ignorance) is more abundant (Gunn, 7).

 In light of the first photo where Benjamin’s father is wiping away his identity, the film

also attempts to bring peoples’ attention back to the crisis to avoid memory and erasure (Gunn,

slide 3). The AIDS pandemic can be described as a horrific period full of fear of contraction,

discrimination, and death, but people tend to forget the extent of this horror. The series as a

whole highlights Rasmus’ and Benjamin’s journey through the pandemic to remind viewers of

how life really was in the 80s. Unbeknownst to the producers in the 2010s, the world would soon

face another pandemic with similar horrors as the AIDS pandemic. So maybe the film itself can

teach us something today as we go through our crisis about coping with death and learning as a

society not to forget discrimination, safety, etc.

In the first picture, we see the erasure of Benjamin’s handprint in the window. As

explained in the lecture “Remembering the AIDS Crisis in Stockholm '', the handprint in the

window could be seen as dirtying the perfect reflection (Gunn 2021). This comment is perfect

because in the first picture Benjamin may just be making a mark on the world and in the second

picture Rasmus is making himself known. However, the father cleans the window to create the

“perfect” transparency, disregarding Benjamin’s identity. This is a connection to the AIDS crisis

because gay men are seen as dirty and diseased. We would like to imagine that viewing gay men

as dirty is in the past. However, according to Björklund Jenny, and Urusula Lindqvist, even

though there are millions of heterosexual peole worldwide who are HIV-positive, there persists

in Sweden a cultural association betwee male homosexuality and HIV/AIDS, despite under one

quarter of all HIV cases diagnosed in Sweden being the result of homosexual contact (Jenny and

Lindqvist 2016). While HIV/AIDS isn’t solely based in gay communities, society still views

them as the dirty handprint in the window.

 Since we are living through another pandemic right now (Covid-19), many would say

that they can empathize with those that lived through the AIDs crisis. However, there is a

difference in how Covid-19 has been perceived in society. As explained by Gessen, “No one

cared about people dying of AIDs in the early years of the pandemic, the stock market didn’t

budge… there is no comparison” (Gessen 2020). Gessen’s article is perfect because even though

there have been many horrific pandemics, gay men had to go through being erased and labeled as

dirty, symbolized as the handprint being erased.

The first picture of a handprint being erased from a window, and the second image of

Rasmus writing his name both give imagery for the AIDs crisis in the 1980s. The first image

gives powerful imagery into Benjamin’s life and how gay men are treated as a whole. It is a close

up shot, excluding the fathers face, and focusing solely on the handprint being erased. This

erasing can be seen as an erasure of Benjamin’s identity and the perspective of looking outside

the house makes it seem like Benjamin is trapped within his family's home/lifestyle.

The picture of Rasmus writing his name tries to encapsulate his entire identity in one

frame. Throughout the show, Rasmus has written his name on glass, giving us a screenshot of his

memories throughout his life. In this one, Rasmus is beginning his journey to Stockholm and

also exploring his sexual identity. He writes his own name slowly and with care, and the show

refrains from showing anyone erase Rasmus’s name. In contrast to Benjamin, Rasmus is more

confident in his sexuality and he didn’t have to deal with a family as condescending to the

lifestyles of gay men.

While annotating, it became much more clear that the show used glass and its

transparency to speak volumes about the lives of Rasmus and Benjamin. It gives us an insight
into their identities, as well as the environment they had to live in while being gay. Benjamin has

his identity being erased or smothered, and we see him struggle with being gay throughout the

show. His parents are homophobic and don’t support his lifestyle choices. On the other hand,

Rasmsus is more free to write his name and it shows his innocence as he begins his journey to

Stockholm. Contextualizing this image, we know that gay men were often viewed as dirty such

as Benjamins handprint, but often the victims of the AIDs crisis were innocent young men trying

to figure out their identity like Rasmus.

 Works Cited

“Love.” Don’t Ever Wipe Tears Without Gloves, produced by Maria Nordenburg, season 1,

episode 1, Sveriges Television, 2012.

Björklund Jenny, and Urusula Lindqvist. New Dimensions of Diversity in Nordic Culture and

Society. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2016, pp 1-19.

Gessen, Masha. “What Lessons Does the AIDS Crisis Offer for the Coronavirus Pandemic?” The

New Yorker, Conde Nast, 8 Apr. 2020,

www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/what-lessons-does-the-aids-crisis-offer-for-the

-coronavirus-pandemic.

Olivia, Gunn. “Remembering the AIDS Crisis in Stockholm.” May. 2021, Image A & A Prompt:

SCAND 367 A Sp 21: Sexuality In Scandinavia: Myth And Reality (uw.edu)