Ben af Schultén (born 1939) had a long career as artistic director at Artek, during which he designed a wide range of stylish furniture and lighting pieces.
Ben af Schultén's career at Artek started as a design student. In 1964 he was appointed as interior architect at the Artek drawing studio. The main task of Artek's drawing studio was to take care of the product development of Artek. Work at the studio focused on utilizing the Aalto archive and creating new products to complement the collection.
In 1976 Ben af Schultén was appointed Artistic Director for Artek. As Artistic Director, design work was only a part of his job description. However, during the years it came to be a substantial part of his work. The furniture he designed for Artek is suitable for use in any combination with the Aalto furniture or by itself. The clear shapes, genuine materials, natural colours and Finnish wood that characterize his furniture ensure that the pieces fit in with the rational Artek interior design tradition.