Manouchehr Yektaei (born 1922 in Tehran – died 1999) was an Iranian-American painter and poet Manouchehr Yektaei is one of the pioneer painters in modernist art in Iran. After studying in Tehran, he was trained in Paris and New York. Most of his works are figures and still lifes, painted with rough brushstrokes and very voluminous colors. His works have an expressionist and abstract direction. The life path of this painter can be easily recognized from his works. In Iran, the Islamic structure of the image, in Paris, the free and motivated space of this city, and finally New York and its exciting and noisy atmosphere, have all been effective in the development of Yektaei's works. His life has been shaped by the three cultures of Iran, France, and America. Living among three different cultures, familiarity with New York's modernism, and being in that space, all created very special conditions for him as a painter. Many consider him a member and even a founding member of the New York School. Despite all these inspirations and suitable artistic spaces, Yektaei always tried to preserve Iranian (Persian) culture in his works, or at least in his mind.