1975 - Artwork lending gallery, Château Malou, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert

Archive photograph of the artwork lending gallery at Château Malou, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, in 1975. Monumental sculptures and framed works are visible, with sculptor César Bailleux present.

This lending gallery extended Mon De Rijck and Charline Mahy's commitment to making art accessible to the widest audience, alongside Mécénat Démocratique and the Truc-Troc.

The clipping "La galerie de prêt à neuf : Trois ans, ça suffit !" (February 1976) details how the gallery worked: open for three years, it rented out paintings and sculptures and ran striking actions such as Operation 500-5000. It was led by Pierre Levie, chairman, and Mon De Rijck, director, in collaboration with the French Culture Commission of the Brussels Agglomeration and the province of Brabant.

In February 1976 the gallery returned every work to its author and asked each artist for five new creations to submit to the jury: the renewed selection numbered 800 works, shown to the public from 27 February to 21 March 1976, daily from 2 to 7 pm, at château Malou, 45 chaussée de Stockel, 1200 Brussels. The opening took place on 26 February at 7 pm with Fernand Callebert's total audiovisual show, first prize at the Knokke Festival. After the exhibition, rentals resumed from 10 am to 12 pm and from 2 to 7 pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Sources: Archives familiales · Château Malou, 1975 · Coupure de presse, février 1976