From Juxtapoz, Oct 2007 n81 (pages 60;64):

William Buzzell: A lot of people move to NYC and end up staying there the rest of their lives, but you haven’t fit that mold.

AJ Fosik: Well, I had an idealized version when I moved to NYC, too; that it would be this great artist community and that there would be so much going on. But NYC is a really, really difficult place for an artist to live. I think that whole mythology of being able to live in NYC as an artist isn’t really relevant anymore. Everyone I know there works 9-to-5 jobs and pays way too much for an apartment and can’t really function creatively.

WB: But you feel that you can function more creatively in places like San Diego or Denver?

AF: I don’t really have to have a real job here, so that’s a big part of it. It’s pretty much the same reason you live in Philly.

WB: But I also started hating NYC towards the end of living there, and not even just in terms of money. I got really burnt out on NYC, and I think you did too.

AF: Definitely. I go to NYC now and there’s lots of things I love about it, but it’s just way too scenstery there. It doesn’t feel like any organic art scene really exists.

WB: I kind of feel that all of our friends there are turning into the cast of Sex and the City.

The bar was customered by CityTV folk, and I noticed the fellow from the Space station having an afterwork drink. Hanging around Queen & John at 5.30 is a great way I guess to stalk CityTV/MM/Etc personalities. I ate fries and chicken wings since I was in no mood for something healthy. Conversation with N was nice as usual. We went to the opening at Diaz – sculpture – and I wasn’t approached by anybody friendly. That opening more than most reminded me of Sex in the City: the pretentious glamour of standing around drinking bad wine out of plastic cups, as if this is somehow superior to god knows what else. N and I escaped through the emergency exit, which I coincidentally happened to be standing in front of. Walked to the KM opening, which was also dismal.