T*H*E S*T*O*R*Y O*F L*O*T*T*A S*W*E*E*T*L*I*V
Lotta Sweetliv (1972, Horsholm, Denmark) and Lee were neighbors and the best of friends until Lee suddenly moved to the Netherlands in 1987.
Although Lotta’s parents were very attentive, they failed to notice that something peculiar ocurred after Lee had left:
The home cinema.
Lotta and Lee’s favorite room in the basement had changed overnight into a home-cinema.
A large wooden chair stood in the middle of the room. The walls were covered with ivy that could gather into the shape of a screen around the chair. After injecting a water based solution in the trunk of the plant, it flowed through all the branches filling the screen of leaves with a projection of the film.
Schooling.
Every sunday Lotta was allowed to submit a scenario, which had to be of outstanding quality. Once she was seated and the door was closed, it would become clear if her story proved to be worthy of screening. This was never the case. Instead, the chair changed into a tight cage around her, forcing her to stand up straight all night. Flickering daylight, a-tonal music and projections of staring animalistic figures disturbed her sense of coordination.
Her foggy mind didn’t keep Lotta from writing a new scenario the next day, for years on end.
Leaving home.
On her 17th birthday, in 1989, her patience finally got rewarded. The chair transformed into a large cushion for Lotta to lay on. The sky of Ivy formed over her as the light dimmed and a film started to play. It showed all kinds of dance performances, surprising twists and unworldly visions she couldn’t grasp. The colors were overwhelming and an immense tension built up in her body expanding beyond her.
At its peak all energy burst into a bright light pulling Lotta in a wormhole while the cushion caught fire.
Lee and Lotta.
When, in 2012, Lee travelled to Denmark to find Lotta, he was relieved to find the home cinema intact. Ivy was growing everywhere. He carefully removed it from the floor and found the large black stain the fire had left. Looking at it more closely, he saw a tiny package wrapped in black paper with a little note that said:
’Lee, you wouldn’t believe how happy I am that you are reading this. I live on Brummen among the Katalista’s. This message includes Katalista bubbles for you to send back in time to yourself. It enables you to save things from the bonfires(Yes, I know about your father and everything, will explain all later). Once you hide a bubble beteen the firewood, everything burnt will end up in your shed. Maybe you would like to send me selections of work? I will send you portraits from my log about the Katalista’s and their staff. Till soon. Kiss, Lotta’
Lee took the Katalista bubbles home and activated a wormhole under the rug in his livingroom. He sent the bubbles to his past self, and so it all began.
Lee’s livingroom, with the portal under the lowest carpet.
