There’s nowhere quite like the Finnishis land of Sarvisalo. Two hours north-east of Helsinki, it has a population of 200, a church, a cemetery, a (recently closed) shop, and a world-class collection of art. It’s not a sculpture park, although there are sculptures dotted around its meadows, beaches and barns, and it’s more than an artists’ retreat, since it’s open to the public at certain times of the year. As an art tourist destination, it’s still in its infancy, but its highest profile residents, Anita and Poju Zabludowicz, are, through their collection, putting this tiny island on the map.
‘The Zabs’, as they are known locally, have been collecting art since 1994. Today, they own around 6,000 pieces by 600 young and emerging artists, with whom they collaborate on exhibitions,…