DeJeonge Reese (she/her) is a black female, visual artist, educator and art advocate from Yeadon, Pennsylvania. She uses her art and creativity to stimulate new and on-going conversations on the various facets of identity within the black community. DeJeonge highlights these intersections through her passion for experimenting with a variety of mediums and materials.

Artist Statement:

I am a visual artist whose passions led me to explore the various facets of identity, specifically the body and beauty ideals. My inspiration is drawn from my identity as a Black woman, especially regarding the past and present discourse surrounding Black hair and beauty expectations. After experiencing scrutiny 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. By fusing themes and ideas from both the past and present; my art explores various connotations surrounding black hair and beauty expectations. Therefore; contributing to on-going conversations on cultural identity as African Americans.