Robert Campbell Jr's form of social realist painting covers a multitude of subject matter: from episodes in the Aboriginal history of Australia in paintings such as Barred from the baths, 1986, and Roped off at the picture show, II, 1987; to portraits of Australian heroes, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, such as Charles Perkins, Senator Neville Bonner, Prime Minister Bob Hawke and racing identity Bart Cummings; and to topical events that engaged the Australian population at large such as Haley's Comet, 1986, and Winning the Americas Cup, 1987. In these works, Campbell displays an empathy towards his subjects, particularly when they represent the underdog.

Campbell's Aboriginal u...