David Rappeneau’s drawings are peculiarly attractive. Some younger audiences may find the images familiar as they view young men and women smoking or looking at a smartphone screen in a sketchy part of town. The subjects in Rappeneau's work look free, but for some reason, they also appear to be lonely or in agony.

Not much is known about Rappeneau, who has remained enigmatic since emerging in the art world in 2014 as a provocative illustrator. What is known so far is that Rappeneau is a French male artist, based mostly in New York or Europe, according to Gladstone Gallery, which is hosting his first show in Asia.