September 3, 2025 | ART & CULTURE
a GALLERY at HOME in SOHO
words Alp Tekin
interiors images Garrett Carroll
portrait of Elisabeth Johs Jesse Dittmar
production Karine Monié
After the success of her first space in Mexico City’s vibrant Roma Norte, Danish curator and art advisor Elisabeth Johs has brought her vision to New York. Her second outpost, tucked inside her own SoHo loft, is both a private gallery and her home. Minimalist yet warm, it merges Scandinavian sensibility with downtown energy—an intimate backdrop where collectors and visitors encounter art in a personal, lived-in setting.
By appointment only, the space extends beyond exhibitions. It hosts dinners, performances, and conversations, becoming a dynamic expression of Johs’s creative world.
THE CURATOR’S VISION
Born in Denmark, Johs has long been fascinated by the meeting point of art and design, with a strong commitment to supporting emerging voices. “Mexico City offers an intimate, immersive setting, while New York keeps me connected to a broader global network,” she reflects. For Johs, the artists themselves shape the evolving identity of her gallery, each adding their own perspective to the dialogue.
FROM MEXICO CITY TO NEW YORK
JO-HS was conceived as a cultural bridge between two cities that have deeply shaped Johs’s approach. After debuting in Mexico City, she chose SoHo for the second location, drawn by its history and creative spirit.
“I’ve always been passionate about presenting art in spaces that feel personal and thoughtfully curated,” she says. “JO-HS is about telling stories and bringing people together through design and creativity.”
A LOFT THAT DOUBLES AS A GALLERY
Johs’s New York loft-gallery is both a sanctuary and a stage. “It’s about presenting art in ways that feel personal, immersive, and deeply engaging,” she explains. Inspired by the tradition of salons, the space combines art with Scandinavian furniture and lighting by Gubi and Louis Poulsen, creating a cozy, understated atmosphere where design quietly supports the work on view.
INSPIRATIONS AND APPROACH
The concept draws on Johs’s experiences in New York and Mexico City, as well as her love of modernist architecture and Scandinavian design. She insists on leaving room for air and silence within the gallery: “Gaps are like a breath of air—the space before a new sentence. An empty wall allows you to reflect before experiencing the next work.”
ARTISTS AND COLLABORATIONS
JO-HS primarily champions emerging artists from Latin America and Mexico, including Melissa Ríos (Costa Rica), Jack Mernin (United States), Floria González (Mexico), Rodrigo Echeverría (Mexico), Chavis Mármol (Mexico)and Rodrigo Red Sandoval (Mexico). Alongside them, Johs has partnered with Danish design houses Gubi and Louis Poulsen, a pairing she finds symbolic: “One is contemporary, the other modern. Despite their different eras, they complement each other beautifully.”
