Denna Ameen, born in 1994 to Iranian-American immigrants, is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design’s Open Media program. She currently resides in New Orleans, Louisiana and works as a costume designer for Mardi Gras parades and events.

Drawing inspiration from different forms of architecture and the sentiments they create through usage of space, as well as the ostentatiousness of Southern carnival culture, Ameen merges opulent fabrics with superficially destitute environments, earning them a new life.

Ameen’s work also addresses the concept of waste in a broader sense, both in terms of material usage and the waste of human potential. All the materials used are leftover from previous projects, and she arranges and overlays the fragments in a manner not unlike layering paint. Through this process, Ameen aims to take the techniques applied in costume making several dimensions further, while also paying homage to traditional Persian imagery.

Through her work, Ameen seeks to explore the complexities of culture, identity and the intersections between them. By using the remnants of previous creations, Ameen reinvigorates what was once discarded, finding beauty and color in the hollowness of forgotten fabrics. She also loves and cherishes her animal companions.