Benita's exhibition on Men & Dolls - funding needed

Post by **Nescio50** » Mon May 11, 2015 5:28 pm

Hi all, we have some breaking news from Benita!

Benita is a photo journalist and long time member of our community. She has visited many of our doll meets, both US and UK. She also visited quite some members privately. She took and shared so many great pictures and quite some have been published by several international newspapers and websites, such as CNN.

Now her "Men & Dolls" photos will be exhibited, first in Copenhagen, Denmark. She wrote us:

Benita wrote:I am very excited and very stressed arranging the whole thing. Especially since I’ve just learned that the Photo Festival has given me a big solo exhibition on 100m2, they’ve arranged a guided tour only on ‘Men & Dolls’. The exhibition starts on the 4th of June at 5 PM in Halmlageret Carlsberg, Copenhagen.

And then there is more breaking news as she told us:

Benita wrote:And I am sorry that I am not able to visit this years doll meet, I am pregnant and giving birth to a baby boy - might be a new member in the doll forum

Congratulations Benita a baby boy and an exhibition how do you manage

Well guys, she does need some help! Benita has been an ambassador for the doll community for many years and now she has the opportunity to exhibit her "Men & Dolls" photos to a broad audience, first in Copenhagen, next in Serbia (already confirmed), and next in ... ... but this will cost her a lot of money. Especially the big HQ prints (98x144 cm) are very expensive. And right now being pregnant, she's not able to do a lot of assignments to get all the money needed.

This is where the doll community is going to help, that's us, we will do some crowd-funding

To all, please help Benita to realise this exhibition. Any gift is welcome. Please donate your gift to Benita, send a gift by PayPal to benitamarcussen@gmail.com. And in return Benita will donate a print from the exhibition to one of the contributors.

On behalf of Benita, thank you so much

Post by **RainLover** » Mon May 11, 2015 5:51 pm

I was going to say you might consider an actual crowdfunding campaign on a regular crowdfunding site, but then again, that might draw unwanted attention. :/

Post by **kharn** » Mon May 11, 2015 7:04 pm

Hi All

,

I've personally known Benita now for 4 years and she's become a good friend to both myself and the doll community. She's attended one of the Hershey meets and three of the meets in Wales.

I know this project has been a personal vocation of hers since she first visited us all in 2011. She's been dedicated in portraying our community in the best light. So,I feel if we can help her in anyway with this, then we'll also be helping our community as well.

If you can help her with this, then please do

Post by **Nescio50** » Mon May 11, 2015 7:05 pm

RainLover wrote:I was going to say you might consider an actual crowdfunding campaign on a regular crowdfunding site, but then again, that might draw unwanted attention. :/

Benita is investigating other ways of crowd-funding too, but as time is short and doll community is ... such a great community

let's help her this way

benitaoctavia · Post by **benitaoctavia** » Tue May 12, 2015 3:29 pm

WOW! Thank you for making this crowd-funding, I am very excited, and someone already donated :BIG:

THANK YOU! I am applying for 'real' funds - as many as possible, but as the exhibit got arranged very recently I can only apply for the funds with a deadline before the exhibition (June 4th). This exhibition is one of the main exhibits at the Photo Festival which means bigger prints than first expected. It is fantastic to have this much positive attention on the doll community, the pictures the story and even the RealDoll from Abyss will look fantastic in the room. I really hope that some of you are able to come by.The doll (she arrives tomorrow - and still has no name) - at a desk, welcoming visitors! ...My hairdresser will style her as a sexy secretary. 50.000 visitors comes through the exhibition during the 2 weeks it's shown, exhibition is free for everyone. Thanks again for arranging this and thank you guys for supporting. Warmly, Benita

benitaoctavia · Post by **benitaoctavia** » Tue May 12, 2015 3:42 pm

RainLover wrote:I was going to say you might consider an actual crowdfunding campaign on a regular crowdfunding site, but then again, that might draw unwanted attention. :/

Hi RainLover. There will always be haters around - honestly, they are just sad persons. I am applying for other funds, and if that draws any unwanted attention to the community, I'll pour myself a drink, put on some lipstick, and tell them to show some fucking respect. (Sorry for my language) Xx

karpos · Post by **karpos** » Tue May 12, 2015 4:13 pm

benitaoctavia wrote: Hi RainLover. There will always be haters around - honestly, they are just sad persons. I am applying for other funds, and if that draws any unwanted attention to the community, I'll pour myself a drink, put on some lipstick, and tell them to show some fucking respect. (Sorry for my language) Xx

I like your attitude.

Thank you for helping to support our community and the passion we have for what we do. How long do we have to donate money? With my health insurance and credit card bills I am kinda wiped for the month. Will donating next month help or do you need the money now?

-k

benitaoctavia · Post by **benitaoctavia** » Tue May 12, 2015 4:31 pm

karpos wrote:
benitaoctavia wrote: Hi RainLover. There will always be haters around - honestly, they are just sad persons. I am applying for other funds, and if that draws any unwanted attention to the community, I'll pour myself a drink, put on some lipstick, and tell them to show some fucking respect. (Sorry for my language) Xx
I like your attitude. Thank you for helping to support our community and the passion we have for what we do. How long do we have to donate money? With my health insurance and credit card bills I am kinda wiped for the month. Will donating next month help or do you need the money now?

-k

Haha, thank you Karpos, the exhibit starts at June 4'th and that is also when the crowd-funding stops. As long as you have your health insurance and credit card bills payed I am satisfied

Samurai · Post by **Samurai** » Tue May 12, 2015 4:38 pm

Congrats on exciting news of a new baby

and good luck with the exhibit .

All the best

( a little something on its way)

Samurai

Post by **brigittes hubbie** » Wed May 13, 2015 1:42 pm

Uh oh, I booked a flight and a hotel to visit the exhibition today. If I´d stayed home I could have sent the money directly to Benita, but I´ll sent something more. Well, you only live once. Brigitte will have to wait some time for her next outfit I guess.

Chris

benitaoctavia · Post by **benitaoctavia** » Wed May 13, 2015 3:04 pm

Samurai wrote:Congrats on exciting news of a new baby and good luck with the exhibit .

All the best ( a little something on its way)

Samurai

Thank you for donating Samurai - I will post some pictures from the exhibit. It keeps getting bigger, today I got the news that 8 pictures will be featured in the Metrotrain, so now the exhibition will be all over the city, as well I am invited to talk about the project on national radio, hopefully the Forum will soon have new members

...X,x...

benitaoctavia · Post by **benitaoctavia** » Wed May 13, 2015 3:10 pm

brigittes hubbie wrote:Uh oh, I booked a flight and a hotel to visit the exhibition today. If I´d stayed home I could have sent the money directly to Benita, but I´ll sent something more. Well, you only live once. Brigitte will have to wait some time for her next outfit I guess.
Chris

YAY

looking forward to see you and thanks for donating on top of buying flight + hotel. Xx

benitaoctavia · Post by **benitaoctavia** » Wed May 13, 2015 3:18 pm

Look who arrived today. Any inside tips on positioning her, dressing her etc... is most welcome, I have seen the care instructions, but you're the real experts

haremlover · Post by **haremlover** » Wed May 13, 2015 3:21 pm

benitaoctavia wrote:. . . if that draws any unwanted attention to the community, I'll pour myself a drink, put on some lipstick, and tell them to show some fucking respect. (Sorry for my language) Xx

What an ambassador!

Not only is it fun but you're doing so much for dolls as a worthwhile part of society. What sort of total funds are you looking for? As a champion of our hobby, all members should be giving you some support to the extent that they can.

Last night I had dinner with a prospective film maker and other film friends in Cannes and upon chatting about ideas the prospective film maker, who is a very dictatorial late middle aged lady very self important, remarked that I was weird when I told her that I had used my doll Chloé to tell my Dad a story to help him realise his own position in which he'd been hoodwinked. The lady's reaction was hilarious and the other friend I was with said that she was so narrow and so self opinionated that the film she's wanting to make won't be worth doing. So yes - detractors tend to be people who can't think outside their narrow box.

Your efforts therefore, enthusiasm and ambassadorial mission is therefore something we should all try to support in more than mere words.

Best wishes

Harem

Everhard · Post by **Everhard** » Sun May 17, 2015 4:55 pm

Well, that's a turn up!

Be careful of bumping finger ends into things. Also, when carrying the doll from A to B, open all necessary doors (between A and B) and, if it is more than a few yards (metres) place a chair or two ready to put her down in case of the unexpected.

What's her name?