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Apparatrum
Love Hultén

The debut monograph from the inimitable designer-maker, delving into his weird and wonderful world of offbeat custom synths and videogame cabinets

368backers £29,630.46of £60,000 pledged
Funding Unsuccessful
49% funded

Overview

Apparatrum offers an in-depth insight into the idiosyncratic influences and inspirations behind the creativity of Love Hultén, renowned audiovisual artist and woodworker extraordinaire. Describing his work as ‘custom alientech’ and ‘craftporn’, Hultén transcends the boundaries of conventional design to create exceptionally weird and wonderful synthesizers, sound sculptures and videogame consoles. Almost a decade after going viral with R-Kaid-R, a small wooden box that flips open to reveal a portable arcade machine with 10,000 games, Hultén has taken the world by storm with his bespoke handcrafted designs. Merging hand-hewn carpentry and modern electronics, he combines unexpected elements to present us with an alternative reality through his captivatingly high-concept objects. From fake eyeballs and chattering teeth to cacti and dancing crabs, Hultén’s playfully subversive and humorous contraptions turn our conception of how we interact with machines on its head.

This extensive overview of Hultén’s work celebrates a decade of his creative output, while also revealing the technical detail and inspiration behind his astounding craft. Each piece is accompanied by an observation by Hultén that reveals his visionary design process and eclectic influences, from retrofuturism and science fiction to Dieter Rams and mid-century design. Featuring case studies of his best-known works, as well as a personal biography, studio tour and behind-the-scenes sketches and photographs illustrating his secretive working process, this is an exclusive must-have glimpse into the world of Love Hultén.

Specification

290 × 220mm
272 pages
Hardcover

Tipped-on cover image
Printing in 5 colours
Multiple paper stocks

How it works

If our funding goal is met before this project will commence development. Payment is taken only on the successful completion of the campaign.

Estimated delivery

Spring 2025

Shipping

Tracked worldwide

His designs somehow feel born of both childlike nostalgia and precise engineering – LEGO meets Le Corbusier.

Madison Bloom, Pitchfork
Providing a unique insight into Hultén’s awe-inspiring work, Apparatrum features stunning photographic showcases of his synthesizer and videogame devices. Accompanied by personal commentary on the design and production behind his creations, it provides unparalleled access to his extraordinary mind. Interspersed throughout are several step-by-step case studies where Hultén comprehensively breaks down his creative process, from the initial sketches to the finished product. Alongside this exhaustive portfolio is a deep-dive into Hultén’s evolution as an artist and woodworker, as well as a rare tour of his Gothenburg workshop. Comprising multiple paper stocks and bound in a dual-cover case with tipped-on images, this book is essential for fans of this singular designer-maker’s alientech oeuvre.

If Jules Verne had an entertainment centre, it would feature wall-to-wall components designed by Love Hultén.

Tim Moynihan, WIRED

The slipcased special edition of Apparatrum has been meticulously designed by Love Hultén himself, featuring an intricate gold ‘circuit-board’ illustration on an elegant green cloth. The eye-catching artwork features abstracted graphic forms and subtle nods to some of Hultén’s whimsical custom creations. This edition is signed by Hultén and is limited to 250 copies only.

Our digital world is expanding, and to connect with the real world, we need physical interaction. I want my objects to create a state of curiosity – using references from both past and present.

Love Hultén
Meet the author

Love Hultén is an audiovisual artist and woodworker. He fuses traditional craftsmanship with modern technology, creating unique objects in an unexpected merge of form and function. By playing with preconceptions about art and design – the social, cultural and historical relations to objects we all share – he tears existing connections apart to provide a new context. He aims to breathe life into objects, adding unforeseen functionality as well as mystique. Counting amongst his fans Eminem, A$AP Rocky, Kid Cudi, Danger Mouse and Michael B Jordan, Hultén is a passionate perfectionist who dives deep into materials to create genuine and attractive alternatives to contemporary appliances. All of his creations are designed and crafted singlehandedly from his studio in Gothenburg, Sweden.

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