Michel Sicardi to Donate Exhibit Earnings

Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Foundation (BMCF) announces the artist Michel Sicardi will donate the proceeds from the sale of his sculptures in the exhibit, Michel Sicardi: Finding Paradise in the Woods, February 10 – March 11, 2023, in the Alexander Black House main galleries, 204 Draper Road SW, Blacksburg, VA, blacksburgmuseum.org, 540-443-1600. Admission is free, hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 10–4. Michel Sicardi: Finding Paradise in the Woods reception and artist talk will be on Friday, February 10, from 5:00 -7:00 pm, and is open to the public.

Sicardi will donate all his earnings from the sale of his pieces in the exhibit, to the New River Conservancy. Concerned about the rapid development in the New River watershed, the Conservancy was formed to permanently protect the land along the New River, working with interested landowners who wish to voluntarily protect their land. Through their Accredited Land Trust Program, NRC has helped to protect nearly 10,000 acres of land and over 60 miles of rivers though land conservation, permanent sustainable management plans, and river and stream restoration.

“We conduct river cleanups along sections of the New River throughout the year. Since 2001, we have pulled roughly the size of a blue whale (500,000 pounds) of trash and 13,000 tires from the New River. We expect those numbers to increase as we clean more of the river. We are so thankful for the support of Mr. Sicardi, and Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Foundation for hosting his exhibit,” affirmed Briana Bittner, of the NRC.

Sicardi, who will be returning to France soon, was not as conscious about the environment in his native country. It wasn’t until he lived in the United States that he became preoccupied by the environmental damage caused by plastics, and Americans’ propensity for using plastic bags. He is grateful for the opportunity to donate to the New River Conservancy’s mission to protect land and water in this area, “I wish that more people are aware that their actions have an effect on nature and that we should do our best to lessen our impact.” Sicardi will be giving an artist talk during the opening reception on Friday, February 10th. The reception and talk are free and open to the public.