Robert Campbell Jnr
Artist Statement
'...the old people were not allowed to teach us, they were too frightened they would be sent away...I'm still searching for that Aboriginal identity that I've lost.'
Robert Campbell Jnr
Robert Cambell Jnr., is one of Australia's outstanding contemporary artists and is part of a vibrant, colourful and expressive contemporary Aboriginal movement which has been developing over the last few decades. works of art from this movement, through greatly diverse in content ad media, predominantly tackle social and political issues expressing the dilemmas that face the modern indigenous peoples and are often a statement of the personal search of individual artists for their own Aboriginal identity.
The problems facing urban Aboriginals are often more acute than those facing the Aboriginals from the more traditional communities. Incidences of racism and intolerance abound and segregation is widespread. Campbell's work reflects these conditions, with senses of colonial conquest, suburban living, segregation a local picture theatres and working on the railways. He tackles them both courageously and confidently and even at times with a touch of humour.