Janangoo Butcher Cherel

Janangoo Butcher Cherel was a key Gooniyandi elder and one of Australia's leading contemporary artists whose metaphorical paintings documented natural phenomena, his Imanara country, and life experiences. Born at Jalnaganjoowa near Fossil Downs station in the West Kimberley, Cherel's Kija mother and Gooniyandi father both worked on the station. Spending most of his working life as a stockman droving cattle from Fitzroy Crossing to Derby and Broome—work he remembered as "real hard"—Cherel began painting relatively late in life. His paintings emerged from thoughtful contemplation rather than dreaming, as he stated: "with my eyes, my heart and with my brain I am thinking." A key elder instrumental in retaining law and ceremony at Muludja Community, Cherel held extensive solo exhibitions nationally and was recognized as one of Western Australia's State Living Treasures (2005). His work featured in major exhibitions including "Images of Power: Aboriginal Art from the Kimberley" (National Gallery of Victoria, 1993) and "Cross Currents" (MCA Sydney, 2007). Held in prestigious collections including the National Gallery of Victoria and Kerry Stokes Collection, Cherel's legacy encompasses both artistic innovation and cultural leadership within the Gooniyandi community.

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Janangoo Butcher Cherel

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