Counting with Inka Gerbert

Inka Gerbert is the newest addition to the Art Direction here at Electronic Beats. As our only East Berlin native, the former agricultural scientist turned graphic designer is especially adept at tweaking our aesthetic with the strong lines and graphical schemes of socialist realism, as on display the last issue of Electronic Beats. Inka’s heart beats for baseline grids and the quadrillions of gray shades between black and white which are often disputed as being real colours. She is also positive that, “some day every single person on this planet will realize that black is a colour. Amen.” Amen indeed.

1 memorable line in a film or song:

“Leave me behind! Keep on going without me! I’ll only put the mission at risk!”… or similar lines spoken by a severely injured and selfless person in any war epic. I would never actually say such things myself, even if it meant everyone else had to die too.

2 decisions I regret:

None. Two times.

3 people that should collaborate:

Me, myself and I.

4 things I haven’t done yet:

Learn to play the accordion.

Bet on something.

Find something I could love in Pippi Langstrumpf—she’s so bad with numbers.

Engage in a discussion with a severely injured person regarding his or her selfless wish to leave them behind.

5 things I used to believe:

The ability to find something to love in everyone.

Listening to music cannot possibly be dangerous.

Life is another word for Langton’s Ant.

The differences between Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother and the wolf are significant.

Monty Python’s Life of Brian isn’t amusing.

6 hours ago:

I flew a kite.

7 days I barely remember:

The last week of my academic career as an agricultural scientist. Have you ever wondered how long tomatoes last before they start to perish? I can show you a really nice algorithm which answers that question. Interesting… Really.

After 8 p.m.:

I observe ants.

My 9 lives:

Oh, just nine? Sometimes I get the impression that I have to manage hundreds.

10 I would not touch it with a ten foot pole:

The strip of flypaper dangling from the ceiling in the EB office.

Published October 17, 2012.