Ismail Awi draws heavily on gothic, surrealism and street culture, weaving them into his own intriguing narrative. In The Driven, every creature looks as if it was controlled by a powerful source, in this case a roaring lion riding a horse vehicle, in the manner of a procession. The lion is making a grand entrance as a means to show who is in charge and all are opt to obey him. Ismail Awi is a rising star who was among 12 artists featured in the Tanah Air Ku showcase at the Malaysian Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was organised by Galeri Chandan and all the works belong to the Embassy. In July-August 2016, his work also made it to the Curate Henry Butcher exhibition called A Raya Celebration Of Generations In Art, and in January 2018, The Young Contempo Showcase II (organised by Curate Henry Butcher) held at Galeri Prima. His first debut in Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction sale in April 2018 saw his pricing skyrocketed, and in the October 2018 edition, soared almost five times higher!