A new class of porphyrin-based chromophore systems has been prepared from ethyne-elaborated porphyrin synthons through the use of metal-mediated cross-coupling methodologies. These systems feature porphyrin chromophores wired together through single ethynyl linkages. This type of topological connectivity affords exceptional electronic interactions between the chromophores which are manifest in their room temperature photo-physics, optical spectroscopy, and electrochemistry; these spectroscopic signatures indicate that these species model many of the essential characteristics of biological light-harvesting antenna systems.