Harry Wedge

{{Short description|Australian Aboriginal artist (1957–2012)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2015}} {{Infobox person | name = Harry Wedge | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date text|1957}} | birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | death_date = 8 November {{Death year and age|2012|1957}} | death_place = Cowra, New South Wales, Australia | nationality = | other_names = HJ Wedge, Harry J | occupation = | years_active = | known_for = Painting | notable_works = }}

'''Harry James "HJ" Wedge''' (1957 – 8 November 2012) was a Wiradjuri artist.<ref name=agnsw/>

==Early life and education== Wedge was born in Erambie Mission, Cowra, New South Wales. Prior to starting his artwork professionally, Wedge worked as a driver and fruit picker until he headed to Sydney to enrol at the Eora Centre for the Visual and Performing Arts.<ref name=book/>

==Career== After graduating from the college he became a member of the Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative, exhibiting with contemporaries such as Ian Abdulla and Elaine Russell.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} In 1992 he held a solo exhibition called ''Wiradjuri Spirit Man'' at Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute in Adelaide as well as at Boomalli.<ref name=agnsw/>

In 1993, Wedge was represented in ''Australian Perspecta'' at the Art Gallery of New South Wales and was artist-in-residence during which he created the narrative work ''Stop and think''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Stop and think, 1993 by HJ Wedge|url=https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/217.1994.a-e/|access-date=2021-04-21|website=artgallery.nsw.gov.au}}</ref>

The Art Gallery of NSW describes Wedge's work in the following way: "His work focuses on post-colonial narrative and examines current social and environmental issues. He has said that he tries "...to paint what I dream, what I hear on, things you can even hear people talking about on the train...". His powerful paintings operate seductively, enchanting the viewer with signature lyrical figures that he combines with arresting political statements. His figures, refusing to be silenced, become social commentators and express the injustices of the past".<ref name=agnsw>{{Cite web|title=HJ Wedge| first=Jonathan |last=Jones |url=https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/artists/wedge-hj/| access-date=2021-04-21|website=Art Gallery of New South Wales| others=[From] Jonathan Jones in ''Tradition today: Indigenous art in Australia'', Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2014}}</ref>

A monograph on Wedge's work, ''Wiradjuri Spirit Man'', was published in 1996 by Art and Australia, with an introduction by Brenda L. Croft and an essay by Judith Ryan. Containing a selection of Wedge's vivid paintings and engaging stories, his work is by turns humorous, confronting and direct.<ref name=book>{{Cite book|last=Wedge|first=H. J.|url=https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1341133|title=Wiradjuri spirit man [catalogue entry blurb]|last2=Ryan|first2=Judith|date=1996|publisher=Craftsman House ; Published in association with Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative|isbn=978-976-641-019-3|series=An Art & Australia book|location=Roseville East, NSW| via= National Library of Australia}}</ref>

His work is held in many major private and public collections,<ref name=book/> including the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria and Queensland Art Gallery.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

==Recognition== Wedge was awarded the Australian Aboriginal Fellowship by the New South Wales Minister for the Arts.

==Death and legacy== He died on 8 November 2012.<ref name=agnsw/> His funeral was held at St Raphael's Church in Cowra.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://news.aboriginalartdirectory.com/2012/11/harry-hj-wedge-1957-2012.php|title=Obituary: Harry (HJ) Wedge 1957 – 2012|publisher=Aboriginal Art Directory|date=12 November 2012|last=Poll|first=Matt|access-date=9 December 2021}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wedge, Harry}} Category:Australian painters Category:People from Cowra Category:2012 deaths Category:1958 births Category:Wiradjuri people Category:Australian Aboriginal artists