Quintessence – Elements Exhibition by Smell the Art

Imatra Spirits’ award winning Spirit of the Cascade was the toast of the night at the opening of the Elements by Smell the Art exhibition. The exhibition runs from 17th of October until 21st of November.

Elements is a multi-sensory exhibition. It invites you into four rooms and the quiet space between them, each shaped by light, material, sound and scent working together rather than separately. You don’t just look at it. You breathe it, hear it, taste it and feel it. There is more than one way through, and each path tells its own story.

Elements is curated and produced by Smell the Art, a Helsinki-based platform that pairs art with curated fragrance to create layered, shared encounters, in collaboration with Helsinki Perfume Club, ODDfest and Imatra Spirits.

Imatra Spirits’ artwork exhibited at the venue is directed by the brand’s co-founder Dr. Taavi Kuisma. Quintessence is combines the physical and philosophical. It is a story that spans thousands of years.

Quintessence tells the story of alchemy and distillation — fire below, spirit rising. In alchemy, the quintessence was the fifth element: the purest essence, drawn out through patient refinement until only the vital spirit remained. The artwork embodies this as a feminine figure standing within the flame — raw, powerful, and pure. She is not consumed by the fire; she is what the fire reveals. Transformation through heat, and purity as the result — the act of distillation itself, given form.

Quintessence is an original artwork from Imatra Spirits, a spirits company from Imatra, Finland, and creator of the award-winning Spirit of the Cascade gin. The flowing linework and gold detailing of the Art Nouveau style celebrates the brand’s signature visual language — a reflection of the same craft and pursuit of purity found in every distillation.

Credit:

Dr. Taavi Kuisma, Creative Director

Lucie Guyard, Art Director

Winki Soo, Illustrator

Sean Ting, Illustrator