January 10 - July 16, 2025

DeJeonge Reese is a multidisciplinary artist whose work examines the discourse around beauty standards, particularly among women of color. Reese’s identity as a black woman is a primary source of inspiration. For her exhibition at Philadelphia International Airport, the work is part of an ongoing series that explores her genealogy. Through DNA testing, Reese discovered the geographic origins of her ancestors. Her masks take their forms from the tribal masks used in these regions of Africa.

When Reese decided to regrow her natural hair, she began to question the social conventions and grooming habits she had previously taken for granted. Throughout history and across cultures, hair is not just a style choice. It is a visual sign system that conveys information about an individual’s age, gender, ethnicity, and even their racial identity politics. The conversation around black hair is especially fraught. Even within the community of black women, there is division behind one’s choice to straighten, braid, weave, wear wigs, or simply leave it be. Reese states, “Masks allow us to transform and communicate in a non-verbal manner. Just as our hair allows us to transform based on how we choose to style and wear it, it also allows us to communicate a part of who we are without saying a word.”

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