Dan Flavin's artistic journey in the 1950s was marked by a period of exploration and experimentation, paving the way for his later breakthroughs with fluorescent light. Initially, his works were influenced by Abstract Expressionism, showcasing drawings and paintings that echoed the dominant art movement of the time. By 1959, Flavin began creating assemblages and mixed media collages, incorporating found objects such as crushed cans from the streets, indicating his early interest in everyday materials and their transformation into art​ (www.wikiart.org)​. This era was crucial for Flavin's development, both personally and artistically. He was employed briefly at the Guggenheim Museum and later at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, where he worked as a guard and elevator operator. It was during his time at MoMA that Flavin met influential figures like Sol LeWitt, Lucy Lippard, and Robert Ryman. These encounters, coupled with his exposure to the art and artists of the time, undoubtedly influenced his evolving artistic vision​ (www.wikiart.org)​. The late 1950s and early 1960s marked a transitional period for Flavin. While working as a guard at the American Museum of Natural History, he began sketching ideas for sculptures that would incorporate electric lights. These sketches laid the groundwork for his "Icons" series in 1961, the precursors to his later works with fluorescent lighting. The "Icons" were colored, shallow, boxlike constructions with fluorescent tubes attached, marking Flavin's initial foray into using light as a primary medium​ (www.wikiart.org)​. The 1950s were a formative decade for Dan Flavin. This period of early works and engagements with the New York art scene set the stage for his revolutionary use of fluorescent light. Through his transition from paintings and assemblages to light sculptures, Flavin began to distill his approach to Minimalism, focusing on the materiality of light and its interaction with space. His experiences and experiments in the 1950s laid the foundation for his iconic, groundbreaking works in the subsequent decades.