Izat Arif
2024
Silkscreen-printed toilet mirror mounted on MDF board with acrylic box frame
30.5 × 45 × 12.5 centimeters
Edition of 7
2024
“Roy” is a guy who likes to front and act hard, especially when there are girls around, but who flees at the first sign of danger. Roy is the main character of Gila-Gila Remaja, a Malaysian movie from the 80s about a group of delinquent teenagers that is considered an iconic depiction of the “rempit” subculture of motorcycle-gang hooliganism in Malaysia. The work features a store-bought bathroom mirror silkscreen-printed with a line from the movie; directly translated, the quote says, “Roy, Roy… what a hard heart you have.”
The rempit subculture has a negative reputation within polite society; its behaviours are considered crass, delinquent, and uncultured. Within the gangs, it’s a form of tribal belonging and solidarity (which the movie reflects in its revenge plot). "Roy" (2024) is a readymade object that invites self-reflection upon hard-heartedness, sealed into an acrylic box for aesthetic display and contemplation. A hook has been prepared at the top for ease of installation.
Collaboration with Tep Yorkhttps://www.hadasbesarentertainment.com/products/roy-2024
Images courtesy of YSLee
Text by Ellen Lee