Oil painting “Running from Myself” (2025) by Gabriel-Cristian Matei

After a breakup, the hardest part isn't letting go of the other person, but confronting yourself. Without the role of your partner, without their expectations, you're left with your own limitations, fears, and unmet needs. The female figure in this painting isn't running; she's letting go. She steps into the water as if entering a liminal space, suspended between who she was and who she could become. The sea becomes a place of reflection, cleansing, and emotional honesty. This work is part of "Life Is Beautiful Without You," a multidisciplinary project that combines painting and film. It follows a painter on the Italian coast who rediscovers beauty and freedom after heartbreak. The project explores transformation, self-discovery, and the sea as a symbol of renewal. The scene reflects the quiet beginning of rebuilding, not marked by loss, but by the emergence of a more honest relationship with oneself.