Louise Bourgeois' art in the 1950s was a period of exploration and boundary-pushing in both form and emotional depth. After settling in New York City in 1938 with her husband, Robert Goldwater, Bourgeois continued her education at the Art Students League of New York and began to make significant strides in her art career​ (Wikipedia)​. In the early stages of her career in New York, Bourgeois faced the challenge of transitioning to a new country and the competitive exhibition world of New York City. She began crafting sculptures from materials like junkyard scraps and driftwood, eventually moving to more durable materials such as marble, plaster, and bronze​ (Wikipedia)​. By the 1950s, Bourgeois was deeply engaged with themes of emotion and form, producing works that were both personal and expressive. Her art during this time can be seen as a continuation of her earlier exploration of fear, vulnerability, and the complexities of familial relationships, particularly those with her father​ (Wikipedia)​. Bourgeois joined the American Abstract Artists Group in 1954, despite her work remaining distinct from the Abstract Expressionism that dominated the New York art scene. She was known for her versatility, seamlessly moving between figuration and abstraction and experimenting with different forms, materials, and scales​ (Artland Magazine)​. One of the notable works from this period is "Quarantania I" (1947-1953), a series of totemic wooden sculptures that marked her early foray into three-dimensional work​ (Artland Magazine)​​ (Wikipedia)​. This piece, along with others from the 1950s, demonstrated her growing interest in exploring deeper psychological themes through sculpture. The 1950s also marked the beginning of her recognition in the broader art world, with significant purchases and exhibitions, including her participation in the American Abstract Artists Group and her relationships with other artists of the time, such as Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, and Jackson Pollock​ (Wikipedia)​. Despite the challenges Bourgeois faced as a woman in the predominantly male art world of the time, her work in the 1950s laid the groundwork for her later recognition as a pioneering figure in contemporary art. Her exploration of themes such as loneliness, jealousy, anger, and fear through a personal lens would become hallmarks of her oeuvre, culminating in major retrospectives and recognitions in the decades that followed​ (Artland Magazine)​.