Tributes flow for distinguished Indigenous artist

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This was published 15 years ago

Tributes flow for distinguished Indigenous artist

By Richard Jinman Arts Editor

Janangoo Butcher Cherel, one of the Kimberley region's most distinguished artists, has died.

Cherel was born around 1920 and spent most of his working life as a stockman on the Fossil Downs station. He came to painting late in life and his pictures are held in many collections including the National Gallery of Australia and the Kerry Stokes Collection.

He was still painting at the Mangkaja Arts centre in Fitzroy Crossing as recently as December, but became unwell over Christmas and died peacefully on Tuesday morning.

"He was without doubt the most important artist in that part of the Kimberley," said the indigenous art expert Adrian Newstead. "He was a lovely artist who had a quiet career that built very slowly as he produced very high quality work. They [the work] seldom appear for resale as they're so charming and loved by the people who own them."

A statement issued by the Mangkaja Arts centre said the artist, "...lived a life grounded in the knowledge, culture and identity of his southern Kimberley country. But he also lived with enormous generosity, sharing that knowledge and culture through his words, his actions and his art.

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"The many accolades he gained are in recognition of his quality, character and dignity. He was a Western Australian Living Treasure, his paintings consistently rated among the most collectable of Australian artists and his work is recognised in awards nationally. Yet it is for his presence, his leadership and his knowledge that Muludja community, the Fitzroy Crossing community and Mangkaja Arts are today acknowledging an enormous loss."

Cherel's work was influenced by both his cultural and physical environment.

"With my eyes, my heart and with my brain I am thinking," he once said. "When I go to sleep night time, I might ask myself ah, I might do (paint) that one tomorrow, not dreaming; I think about what to do next."

An exhibition of his work called Gooni Ngarraggi (My Dreamings) is on show at the Aboriginal & Pacific Art gallery in Waterloo until Saturday.

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