From June 1 until December 1, 2018, the outside walls of the Hamburg fair halls will again be the city’s longest art gallery, right in the heart of Hamburg. Anyone walking past the glass facade of the exhibition hall along Karolinenstrasse, whether by day or by night, will be able to view the Sven Jacobsen photo exhibition “Personal Icons”. In his show, which is part of this year's triennial series, Sven Jacobsen will present 40 large-format portraits. This selection of photos is part of a larger, ongoing series begun in 2011 in which Jacobsen captures unique personalities.

People who stick out because, rather than conforming to popular standards, they exhibit an entirely personal interpretation of themselves. They all seem to be uninfluenced by contemporary trends and ideals. "We arrange our photo exhibition along the walls of the fair hall as a contribution to urban culture in the public space," says Bernd Aufderheide, President and CEO, Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH. "Instead of a long glass façade, people see a public art gallery inviting them to pause, contemplate and enjoy."