DeJeonge Reese (she/her) is a black female, visual artist, educator and art advocate from Yeadon, Pennsylvania. She received her Bachelors degree in Visual Arts from The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania and her masters degree in studio art from Moore College of art and design in Philadelphia, PA. With a background in ceramics; DeJeonge used her time at Moore to explore other mediums such as installation, mixed media and performance art.
When she started to grow her own natural hair she began to question the various past and present discourses surrounding beauty standards among women of color. She uses her art and creativity to stimulate new and on-going conversations on the various facets of identity, linage, roots and ancestry within the black community; highlighting these intersections through her passion for experimenting with a variety of mediums and materials; primarily through hair.
DeJeonge's work has been showcased in various group exhibitions including The Woodmere 78th Annual Juried Exhibition at The Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA,
New Members Show, Muse Gallery, Philadelphia, PA and
More is Never Enough, online exhibit, Field Projects, NY.
She was also recently award a fellowship for Black artist from Mural art Philadelphia in which she put toward her recent residency at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Tennessee.
Artist Statement:
I am a visual artist whose passions led me to explore the various facets of identity, specifically the body and beauty ideals among women of color. My inspiration is drawn from my identity as a Black woman, especially regarding the past and present discourses surrounding Black hair and beauty expectations. When I started to re-identify myself through my natural hair, I became impacted enough to explore these themes and ideas through my art. I mine these themes through mediums such as mixed media sculpture, installations, and performances. Therefore; contributing to on-going conversations on cultural identity as African American woman.