Down to the Roots - Opening Reception

DeJeonge Reese presents her first solo exhibit
Down to the Roots
July 5th- July 30th
Muse Gallery

First Friday, July 7, 2023 5:00-8:00pm

Mask allow us to transform and communicate in a non-verbal manner. Just as our hair allows us to transform based how we choose to style and wear it; it allows us to communicate a part of who we are without saying a word.
This collection in parallel with my series "Rooted" aims to provoke my audience to rethink of how we look at black hair; the mask connecting us to our past of what our hair use to represent before slavery all in attempt to get people of all colors to appreciate and learn about black hair in a society where it is still used as a racial identifier by those whom wish to continue to oppress people of color.

This ongoing collection explores the spiritual middle ground between our hair and our ancestry. The mask were inspired by tribal mask from regions of Africa I discovered in my own ancestry DNA.