A Strong Sweet Smell of Incense: A Portrait of Robert Fraser
In 2015, Brian Clarke curated an exhibition, A Strong Sweet Smell of Incense: A Portrait of Robert Fraser at the Royal Academy of Arts, with Pace Gallery. This exhibition was a tribute to the legendary art dealer and maverick, whose Duke Street gallery was a hub of global cultural change in the 1960s until its forced closure in 1967. The exhibition’s title recontextualises a line from the police report on the drugs bust that resulted in this closure, using this moment as the start of Clarke’s exploration of Fraser’s legacy. The 2015 exhibition and accompanying catalogue, published by HENI and Pace, were created in association with Harriet Vyner, author of Groovy Bob: The Life and Times of Robert Fraser.
A central figure in the 1960s art scene, Fraser’s gallery was the first in Britain to showcase the work of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. He reopened his gallery in 1983 on London's Cork Street, introducing Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring to European audiences. Clarke’s solo exhibition of paintings had been the inaugural show.
In A Strong Sweet Smell of Incense: A Portrait of Robert Fraser, Clarke exhibited works that Fraser had admired or owned, or that he had displayed at his gallery. The artists on view had all once exhibited or had close personal relationships with Fraser. The display included a desk installation, based on Fraser’s own desk from Duke Street, as photographed by Ian MacMillan, recreating the same arrangement of artworks and objects.
Speaking on his selection, Clarke said in a 2015 article from Artnet:
‘The choices represent memories to me of the madness and eclectic genius that was Robert. The selection is largely subjective — triggers of memories that remind me of his energy and personality. This exhibition is finally my portrait of him.’
Clarke also created an edition of neon artworks for this show, with one displayed above the entrance to the Royal Academy, one inside, and another on the exterior. Rendered in pink neon, Clarke's writing traces the title of the exhibition. This exhibition ran concurrently with a solo show Brian Clarke: Works from 1977 to 1985 - as curated by Robert Fraser, at the Royal Academy, with Pace Gallery.
