Asif Hoque’s Golden Boy's Helmet imagines a celestial realm where rules of masculinity and power can be reimagined. Asif’s starting point is his notion of the golden boy, the privileged, doted-upon son. Through his depiction of a gold, often gifted to sons in childhood as a marker of status, Asif imagines a new form of masculine being. In this world, gold and adulation does not have to be transformed into power and patriarchy but instead into support and affection. The gold armor worn by the figure in the work is defined not by its hardness and aggression, as typically seen in this military regalia, but its softness. Asif’s celestial figure is depicted through gentle curvatures, which accompany his welcoming gesture and his direct, but kind and non-confrontational gaze. Asif imagines a world where masculinity is employed as a force for love, challenging a notion of manliness that idealizes force and power.
The translation of Golden Boy's Helmet to paper provides deeper insight into the artist's process, which reveals a strong connection between his respective drawing and painting practices.