The Formative Years and European Influence Farideh Lashai, a name synonymous with the evolution of Iranian contemporary art, began her journey in the lush landscapes of Rasht, Iran, in 1944. Her path would soon lead her far beyond the borders of her homeland, taking her to the heart of Europe. It was at the prestigious Austria Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna that Lashai refined her mastery of decorative arts, a period of study that inst…