HJ Wedge (1957–2012), Wiradjuri artist, was born at Erambie mission near Cowra. He worked as a drover and fruitpicker before moving to Sydney in 1988. After visiting the Boomalli Indigenous Art Centre he enrolled to study photography and painting at the Eora Centre for Visual and Performing Arts and quickly became known for his distinctive, often-nightmarish paintings that drew on his experiences of mission life, racism and injustice. Wedge's first solo exhibition, Wiradjuri Spirit Man, was held at Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Centre in Adelaide in 1992 and at Boomalli in 1993, and led to an invitation to participate in the 25th Budapest Autumn Festival with Boomalli artists Judy Watson and Fiona Foley. The same year he was included in Australian Perspecta 1993 at the Art Gallery of NSW, and undertook a residency at the gallery. His work was included in the 2002 Biennale of Sydney at the Museum of Contemporary Art and the first National Indigenous Art Triennial at the National Gallery of Australia in 2007, among many other exhibitions.
