Robert Fraser Gallery

Robert Fraser
Born	Template:Birth date London, England
Died	January 27, 1986(1986-01-27) (aged 48)
Occupation	Art dealer
Known for	Prominent London art dealer, influential figure in 1960s cultural scene, close relationships with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones

Robert Fraser (13 August 1937 – 27 January 1986), famously dubbed "Groovy Bob", was a prominent London art dealer and a pivotal figure within the cultural landscape of the 1960s. He maintained close relationships with the Beatles, especially Paul McCartney, as well as with the Rolling Stones. In February 2015, the Pace Gallery at the Royal Academy of Arts in London showcased an exhibition entitled A Strong Sweet Smell of Incense: A Portrait of Robert Fraser, curated by Brian Clarke.

Early life and education

Born on 13 August 1937, Fraser was the son of banker Lionel Fraser, CMG, who had advanced from delivering newspapers to becoming a financier. Lionel Fraser’s father had served as butler to Harry Gordon Selfridge, founder of the Selfridges department store. Robert Fraser received his education at Eton College and spent part of the 1950s serving as an officer in the King's African Rifles.

Career

Following experience in galleries across the United States, Fraser returned to England and, supported by his affluent financier father—who had previously been a trustee of the Tate Gallery—established the Robert Fraser Gallery in 1962 at 69 Duke Street, London. The gallery’s interior design was crafted by Cedric Price.

The Robert Fraser Gallery quickly became a focal point for contemporary art in Britain, launching and showcasing influential British and American artists such as Peter Blake, Clive Barker, Bridget Riley, Jann Haworth, Richard Hamilton, Gilbert and George, Eduardo Paolozzi, Andy Warhol, Harold Cohen, Jim Dine, and Ed Ruscha. Additionally, Fraser handled works from notable European artists including René Magritte, Jean Dubuffet, Balthus, and Hans Bellmer.

"Swinging Sixties"

In 1966, the Robert Fraser Gallery encountered legal action after displaying artworks by Jim Dine that were deemed obscene. The pieces were confiscated by the Metropolitan Police, and Fraser was penalized under an antiquated vagrancy statute.

Fraser emerged as a central figure in London's Sixties cultural milieu; according to Paul McCartney, he was "one of the most influential people" during that period. His gallery and residence in London became gathering places for leading pop musicians, artists, writers, and celebrities, including members of both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, photographer Michael Cooper, designer Christopher Gibbs, singer Marianne Faithfull, actor-director Dennis Hopper, satirist Terry Southern, writer William Burroughs, and filmmaker Kenneth Anger. Southern gave him the nickname "Groovy Bob," while author Barry Miles described Fraser's Mount Street apartment as among London's most stylish spots in the Sixties.

Fraser played a key role in art directing the Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, guiding them away from a psychedelic concept by The Fool toward a Grammy-winning collage created by Peter Blake and Jann Haworth. He also enabled Richard Hamilton’s design work for the White Album poster and organized John Lennon’s avant-garde exhibition You Are Here in 1968.

A close confidant of the Rolling Stones, Fraser was present at their infamous Redlands party in 1967, which resulted in drug possession charges against Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Fraser himself. This incident inspired Richard Hamilton’s 1968 piece Swingeing London 67, which combined newspaper clippings with an image depicting Jagger and Fraser handcuffed together. Fraser asserted that all drugs discovered belonged solely to him; he maintained that his heroin tablets were prescribed for medical reasons. While Jagger and Richards were acquitted on appeal, Fraser pleaded guilty and served six months' imprisonment. After his release, his heroin dependency worsened, culminating in the closure of his gallery in 1969.

Subsequently, Fraser relocated to a spacious flat at 120 Mount Street, previously inhabited by critic Kenneth Tynan. Keith Richards shared this residence; it was there that Richards conceived the concept for the song Gimme Shelter after witnessing an abrupt storm through Fraser’s window:

"I had been sitting by the window... when suddenly the sky went completely black and an incredible monsoon came down... that was the germ of the idea."

1970s and 1980s, and death

During the 1970s, Fraser relocated from the UK and spent several years residing in India. Upon his return to London in the early 1980s, he inaugurated a second gallery in 1983, showcasing works by stained glass and architectural artist Brian Clarke. However, he found it challenging to achieve the level of success he had previously enjoyed. Nevertheless, Fraser continued to play a significant role in advancing the careers of artists such as Clarke, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring.

It was subsequently revealed that Fraser was afflicted with AIDS, marking him as one of the earliest prominent figures in the UK to succumb to the illness.

In 1985, Fraser sold his Cork Street gallery to Victoria Miro, who went on to create the thriving Victoria Miro Gallery. At the time, Fraser expressed doubts about the viability of contemporary art galleries in the UK, reportedly advising Miro, "You'll never make a contemporary art gallery work in this country."

During his final days, Fraser received support from the Terence Higgins Trust and passed away in January 1986 at his mother’s residence in London.

Sources

• Vyner, Harriet. Groovy Bob: The Life and Times of Robert Fraser. United Kingdom: Faber (1999); HENI Publishing (2017).
• Clarke, Brian; Vyner, Harriet. A Strong Sweet Smell of Incense: A Portrait of Robert Fraser. United Kingdom: PACE London/HENI Publishing (2015).