Curated By: Taidehaistelija

Written by WWW Contemporary

January 11, 2026

Time to read 2 min

There are curators with spreadsheets and strategy decks. And then there are curators who call themselves Taidehaistelija, literally Art Sniffer in English, and somehow make that sound completely reasonable.

For this collection, we handed over the keys to Taidehaistelija and let instinct do the work.

Art sniffing is not about building a theory around every piece. Taidehaistelija moved through the selection the way someone flips through records in a shop they trust. Not everything needs to come home. The final selection is not trying to represent everything. It is simply what stuck.

In this feature, you will find the chosen works, short reflections on why they stood out, and a conversation with our first-ever guest curator about what art sniffing actually means in practice.

Meet Tapio Viitasaari a.k.a. Taidehaistelija - © Kira Björklund

WWW Contemporary: Tell us a little bit more what art sniffing is all about and who is "Taidehaistelija"?

Taidehaistelija is an art acquisition service founded in 2022. Its main goal is to make buying art more approachable and accessible. It all started when my friends encouraged me to make my habit of recommending artworks and other objects (found at auctions and similar venues) more visible. I set up an Instagram page, and the response was encouraging. People want to buy art!

The next step was to showcase artists and their works on the page, and even to organize a Taidehaistelija Biennial last April at Galleria Loisti.

WWW Contemporary: What guided you when curating this collection?

I just moved to a new apartment, which has really made me observe my surroundings. What are the things that make me feel at home, inspired, or simply amused? Curating these artworks is probably guided by these thoughts. All the selected artworks would certainly find their place in my new home. In addition, I’ve tried to make sure the price range of the selection is reasonable. Money is often an unspoken factor when talking about buying art.

WWW Contemporary: What makes an artwork worth selecting?

Good question. I trust my gut feeling, but I also like the feeling of being surprised or somehow experiencing something unfamiliar when looking at an art piece. It might lead to something. In principle, lately I’ve been trying to widen my perspective and approach when looking at or buying art; for example, in terms of technique, tradition, or even source.

The Collection curated by Taidehaistelija

Below is a selection of artworks curated by Taidehaistelija. Each work is accompanied by a short reflection on what drew their attention - and why it might be worth living with. You can find the full collection here.

"I think I’m having a green era. And a leek era. Perhaps that’s why I’m drawn to this optimistic and springy piece of art."

REETA LAINE

Veggies in Nørrebro

400€

"Okay, I’m always having a blue era as well. The blue painted wooden table/sculpture has a mysteriously funny character, and I wanna be their friend."

EEMELI SAHIMAA

Blue bedside table

780€

"I feel like this delicate yet dramatic masterpiece sucks you into a world of touch and senses. It creates an illusion where skin and stone almost feel the same. And what a light!"

TAO IVER

Grasp

910€

"This is a gut feeling thing. The colour, the technique, there’s a spirit to it. It also reminds me of one of my favorite Swedish painters, Sixten Lundbohm’s late works."

SLAVKA VELITCHKOVA

Roofs

2550€

"Hanging in between figurative and abstract, calming and weird, Kanto’s work makes you feel like home. It also makes me yearn somewhere. Forests, my great-grandmother’s house, I’m not sure."

HANNA KANTO

Pupal Cradle (Kotelokehdot)

6250€

Find the full collection here

Taidehaistelija

I'm tapio Viitasaari, professional musician and the Person behind Taidehaistelija. I'm forever optimist and idealist.