In the 1980s, Sebastian spent several years in New York, balancing photography assignments with personal time to build his archive. During this period, he documented the city's architecture and unique aesthetic.

New York in the 1980s had a dynamic mix of art, culture, and raw urban energy. The city saw the rise of iconic street art, hip-hop culture, and the downtown music scene, while also grappling with crime, economic challenges, and urban decay.

The cast iron aesthetic in New York, particularly in SoHo, embodies an elegant industrial charm, where intricate facades of iron blend with the historic architecture. These iconic buildings, with their detailed columns and large windows, once designed for manufacturing, have become a hallmark of SoHo's artistic revival.