Play Nice is an immersive, interactive installation expanding Kadyri’s ongoing worldbuilding series. It traces the origins of her alter ego – a trickster figure drawn from Central Asian and Middle Eastern oral traditions and rooted in her Uzbek identity. This unseen, shifting presence reflects cultural survival and the reimagining of heritage in digital and diasporic contexts.

Inspired by memories of growing up as a Central Asian immigrant in early-2000s Moscow, the work blends sound, scenography and tactile elements. By merging Uzbek craft with AI, Kadyri explores belonging and identity through a contemporary theatrical language.

The installation unfolds across three responsive scenographic states. Using a sensor-based system programmed by the artist, it reacts to audience interaction, allowing visitors to shape its light, sound and visuals.