Mixed media installation.

Uryak is a spirit from Tatar mythology — the soul of someone who died a violent death and lingers at the site of the tragedy. It does not haunt, but reminds us of pain, of the past, of what must not be forgotten.

In this project, Uryak becomes a symbol of cultural memory: fragmented, distorted, yet still alive. Displaced from its homeland, this memory continues to pulse — quietly asking to be acknowledged.

The Tatar tulip at the center is more than a pattern — it’s a code of identity. It breaks into pixels, loses clarity, but still glows — a quiet act of resistance against erasure.

Here, Uryak is not a spirit of vengeance, but a guardian of memory. The work speaks of the fragility of culture — and its quiet strength to survive beyond borders.

I'm Lena Bedareva – a new media artist with a background in graphic design and programming. I create mixed media works at the intersection of the physical and the digital.

My central theme is the transformative power of fear. I explore how what seems frightening or grotesque can hold unexpected beauty and strength. Through this “digital grotesque” – combining bodily textures with digital tools – I invite viewers to confront and reinterpret their fears as a resource for personal strength and growth.