In a way, this piece is my self-portrait , not just of my face, but of my fight. Sometimes, you rot inside, quietly, painfully, carrying all that sorrow that no one sees. You cry, you break, but somehow… you rise again. You stitch your wounds, whisper “damn it,” and tell yourself to stand tall. Because sinking isn’t an option, you fight. I’ve been a fighter all my life. I was taught that when you lose something, you grieve, you scream, you cry, but then, you get up. You pull yourself together. You don’t let sadness swallow you whole. For me, red lipstick has always been a symbol of power. In moments when my face lost its light under the weight of sorrow, that red lipstick saved me. I’ve always wanted to capture that feeling, to paint the moment I see myself in the mirror, bruised but unbroken, putting on my red lipstick and becoming whole again.