Join us for the grand opening of “Portal House” at 1537 Parkview Street presented by Porch Modern this Saturday, May 17th from 3-6PM! Portal House will be open in Little Village from May 17 – July 17, 2025.
Assessing our time and place with a quarter of the 21st century behind us, Portal House presents a common thread of creativity and innovation by artists and designers of diverse backgrounds. Situated in a newly constructed dwelling designed by Detroit-based studio Undecorated, Portal House proposes a way of collecting that reflects the worldly experience of the inhabitants across time and place. Mid-20th century works of furniture design from India by Pierre Jeanneret form a dialog with Finnish designs by Alvar Aalto. Italian lighting by Gio Ponti is juxtaposed with the dynamic work of the British iconoclast Zaha Hadid. The designs of these architects find their footing within the envelope of the newly built Portal House, a minimalist residential outpost in Detroit. Contemporary artwork by Joe Bradley and Tomoo Gokita use primordial imagery from an undiscovered past while the paintings of Eric Shaw and Kim Dorland represent the explosive color and zeitgeist of the present. Ultimately, the collection of art and design in the Portal House are a reflection of our access to creative endeavor across all time and place, asking the question of who we are collectively, as connected people on earth in this moment of great change.
Porch Modern is a shop in Toronto specializing in important modern design, art and ephemera from the mid-20th century. The founder, Colen Colthurst has collected and studied this design movement for over two decades. With an emphasis on American and Scandinavian design, iconic pieces by Jeanneret, Eames, Wirkkala, Wegner and Wirkkala share space in the gallery. Porch Modern also provides private consultation and curation for clients relating to living spaces and collections.
Michael Jefferson is a 25 year veteran of the international auction market with expertise in 20th century design and postwar art. Starting his own private consulting and art brokerage business in 2024, Michael has worked to build some of the most important private and institutional collections in the world. With a focus on French, American, Italian and Viennese design, Michael assists collectors in integrating important design into postwar and contemporary art collections.