Börshuset, 2024-11-27

The designer behind Kent’s identity

Karl-Magnus Boske is one of the very first members of A house and now sits on the Stock Exchange. He is also the designer behind Kent’s branding and reunion tour.

Hi Karl-Magnus! Tell us more about you and Boske Design .

I work as a visual designer. Some packaging design, visual identities for companies, services and products, work for the music industry and then all other design, kind of. Digital, print and motion, yay, I’m good at everything.

You have just designed Kent’s new identity, how did you get this assignment? Tell us about the process and the end result .

I have previously done Jocke Berg’s solo album. Kent is a clear project with a relatively free rein. It’s both rewarding and challenging to work with something that already has such a strong identity as Kent. Small adjustments to the big picture make for big swings. I worked with a glitch, the brief opening in time when the band appears in March and then disappears again. The classic Kent logo is distorted as if in motion by the vibrations of a string. The broken backgrounds add to the ghostly, ephemeral feel and provide a welcome variety to the material. The colors have been carefully taken from previous Kent material. Now they would probably have sold out the six concerts without any visuals at all, but that wouldn’t have been very Kent. A band that knows the visual.

You were one of the first members of A house Ark and now you are at A house Börshuset. Tell us, what attracted you to us and what made you stay?

I like that A house has been clear with its own attitude from the beginning. There is a healthy self-confidence in the premises which provides a safe community to work in. I have always felt at home in the A house family. Börshuset has evolved since I moved in in February. The whole area is really still in its infancy but it breathes creativity and a warm and friendly feeling that I appreciate.

Do you have any fun projects coming up?

Yes, lots of exciting things in the pipeline. The Kent project continues with more material. Several exciting artists that I can’t reveal yet. Labels for Italian wines. A start-up company in the food industry that will get a logo, strong identity and stylish packaging. Five projects with Ulf Lundell. Three photo art books. A lot of mobile for SoMe. More packaging for Spoons, including special packaging for Costco.

Where in Slaktis do you prefer to have lunch?

Best lunch is a reuben at Roast Stockholm. I could eat it every day.

What do you think about AI-generated design?

Something that I have to deal with and that I use to a certain extent. New interesting tools that I am getting to know. AI is of course both exciting and scary. The question is whether AI will replace my creativity. Will my clients prefer to hire someone who is good at writing prompts? I don’t know about that. We will see. I’ll try to give AI a run for its money and use it myself where it makes sense. I love my job, so it would be sad if what I know is no longer needed. But if that happens, well, then I’ll become a carpenter, move to the woods, grow carrots, hunt and love it instead. It will be good.