Aria Dean's 'Bad Infinity' essay collection explores art, Blackness, and Americanness through critical theory

Aria Dean's essay collection, titled 'Bad Infinity: Selected Writings,' delves into themes of art, Black identity, and American culture through a series of ten essays. Released by Sternberg Press at a price of $23 or €19, Dean, who is both an artist and writer based in New York, blends humor with theoretical depth, drawing on thinkers such as Hegel and Georges Bataille. In 'Channel Zero,' she critiques police brutality videos, labeling them as 'vernacular cinema,' and highlights artists like John Akomfrah and Harun Farocki. The piece 'Black Bataille' links Bataille's notion of 'base matter' to Afropessimism, referencing Frank B. Wilderson III. Additionally, 'Trauma and Virtuality' contrasts virtual experiences with reality, analyzing works like Jordan Wolfson's 'Real Violence.' Dean's dynamic and experimental approach intersperses light-heartedness with profound reflections on violence and dehumanization, striving to deepen the understanding of screen-mediated experiences.