It Awakens (At Night) The Thought opens April 12th at The Sima Collective, Dubai

The Sima Collective is pleased to present It Awakens (At Night) The Thought, the debut show for Vertygo, a Lake Como based arts initiative dedicated to promoting the work of international artists. 

The show, curated by Nicolo Venelli, interrogates the nocturnal psyche, asking: What awakens within us when daylight fades? From the desert dreamscapes of the Levant to New Delhi’s neon-drenched parties, the works trace night’s spectrum—from the meditative introspection to the collective euphoria. Arabian rituals merge with urban subcultures, revealing how darkness shapes identity, memory, and fleeting moments of clarity.

The show brings together young female emerging artists from four different art circuits. 

Directly from the UAE, Emirati artist Shamsa Al Mansoori is a visual artist and photographer, a graduate of Zayed University's Abu Dhabi Campus with a bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts. She recently showcased her work at Sikka festival, Dubai.

Raised between the rapid development of the UAE and the raw organic forms of the desert, her Bedouin heritage nurtured her artistic skills and pushed her to think creatively, evident in her practice that merges the past and present. 

From New Delhi, Ashna Malik is a multidisciplinary artist working across traditional and digital media to explore perception, distortion, and immersion. Born in 1998, she investigates the boundaries between reality and illusion, engaging diverse mediums in a dynamic approach to contemporary art. 

Jude Samman, from Jordan, holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honors) degree from Queen’s University in Canada. Her oil paintings explore themes of connection to the land and the meaning of home, using symbolism to tell stories of memory and the relationship between bodies and the earth. 

Farah Maktari, a Yemeni London-based artist and Chelsea College of Arts graduate, examines personal cultural archives, reclaiming agency over Middle Eastern heritage by playfully merging historical and fictional narratives. With a background in textiles, history, and fine art, her interdisciplinary work spans painting, tapestry, interactive installations of traditional dances, and collections of handmade costumes and objects, all theatrically displayed.

Dubai has rapidly emerged as a global hub for contemporary art, offering a dynamic space for dialogue between regional and international artists. With its growing network of galleries, artist-run spaces, and institutions, the city fosters creative exchange while bridging the narratives of different cultural spheres. It Awakens (At Night) The Thought finds its home at The Sima Collective, a venue committed to supporting experimental and boundary-pushing artistic practices.

“We are honoured to present It Awakens (at Night) The Thought in collaboration with Vertygo and curator Nico Venelli — our first exhibition in partnership with an Italian art platform from Lake Como.” said Camelia Mohebi, artist and founder of The Sima Collective. “This collaboration marks an exciting step for SIMA Collective as we continue building bridges between Dubai and the global art world. It reflects our commitment to experimental dialogue, shared curiosity, and creating space for artistic voices to connect across borders”

From the top: Shamsa Al Mansoori looking at her artworks, Ashna Malik (Left) and Jude Samman (Right) posing alongside their works, Jude, Ashna, Nicolo Venelli, and Shamsa, posing in front of the works by Farah Maktari.