Press clipping, 1975: "A curious device... Truc... Troc... You pay in kind!", with the complete rules of the exchange market. Newspaper title, date and byline do not appear on the clipping.
The article explains the principle of the truc-troc run for two and a half months by the château Malou artwork lending gallery: an art "exchange" from which any financial transaction is excluded, where anyone offers an object or a service to the artist, who accepts or not. It publishes the full eight-article rules of the "exchange market": no financial transaction, unlimited number of proposals, definitive exchange upon mutual agreement, discussion with the artist or their representative, no complaint after an exchange, no official price rating taken into account, works exchanged as they stand with transport at the buyer's expense, and a form to be dropped in the ballot box.
Article text · translation
A curious device... "TRUC... TROC" ... You pay in kind!
Would you like to acquire a work of art?
No doubt, but you still need the means, you think.
Just have imagination... plenty of imagination... and that should be enough to become the owner of these works.
Indeed, the château Malou artwork lending gallery is running, for two and a half months, a kind of art "exchange", but one from which any financial transaction is excluded.
Anyone wishing to acquire one of the exhibited works makes an exchange proposal to the artist, who accepts or not.
What can you give in exchange?
Absolutely anything you like. Are you a butcher? Then offer, in exchange for a canvas, to supply its author with meat for a year.
Do you own wonderful old lace from a great-great-aunt? Then offer it in exchange for a work.
Show imagination: that is all you are asked for.
Judging by the visitors' remarks at the opening, one can already be sure that whoever empties the "suggestion box" will have great fun, for there are indeed people with very funny ideas, and one lady put it, with a knowing and amused smile: "If I understand correctly, you pay in kind!"
For information, here are the rules of this "exchange market".
Art. 1 - During the exhibition, no financial transaction of any kind whatsoever may take place.
Art. 2 - The number of proposals is unlimited.
Art. 3 - In case of mutual agreement, the artwork may be taken away and the exchanged object takes its place (as far as possible, only on Friday, Saturday or Sunday).
Art. 4 - Each proposal is discussed with the artist or their representative.
Art. 5 - After the exchange, no related complaint will be accepted, either from the artist or from the public.
Art. 6 - No official price rating of the artists or the works will be taken into account.
Art. 7 - Works are exchanged in the state they are in at the time of the transaction. Transport is at the buyer's expense.
Art. 8 - A form must be filled in for each proposal. The object or service offered will be entered opposite the number of the work. You drop the form in the box and the Gallery does the rest.
Coupure de presse, 1975
Context note
Context note - This clipping preserves the eight-article rules of the first château Malou truc-troc, conceived by Mon De Rijck and Charline Mahy. Neither the newspaper title, nor the date, nor a byline appears on the document.