Rahasia Menjadi Seniman Yang Meyakinkan di-Malaysia (“Secrets to Becoming a Convincing Artist in Malaysia) is an installation first staged by Izat Arif in 2017, following a related critique of the art world in Rahasia Menjadi Curator Yang Meyakinkan (“Secrets to Becoming a Convincing Curator”; 2013).

Featuring a fictional self-help book, Izat’s guide to becoming a convincing artist is semi-autobiographical: partially based on his experience of being one in Malaysia, it describes how to effectively perform as an artist. The chapters range from important matters such as: “How to pose in front of a painting when taking a photo”, and “How to talk about your work to people”, to the more serious issue of “How to write an artist statement” or “How to write a proposal for a gallery”.

The book presents techniques for would-be artists on how to navigate typical scenarios in the art world, especially in dealing with art institutions, the media, galleries, and fellow artist communities. It provides solutions for the artist when performing their role in private, and while doing so, acquiring a public persona.