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WHEN the
most striking image of the Filipina is that of the
superheroine Darna, as embodied by a scantily-clad Angel
Locsin, there’s a certain nostalgic longing for the
Pinay who is coy, composed and fully clothed.
The
acclaimed artist Remy Boquiren must have made it her
lifelong mission to portray the Pinay as she was in a
bygone era, perhaps to remind the present generation of
girls that once upon a time Filipino women were admired
for their modesty, delicacy and finesse.
In a
mostly pastel palette bathed in ever-glowing sunlight,
Boquiren’s women are always in a state of activity,
never caught idle or indolent. Dressed in baro’t saya,
tribal costumes or traditional Filipina garb, the women
are weaving baskets, gathering flowers, picking fruits
or tending to children. Women deep in prayer is one of
her more popular subjects among collectors, among them,
Imelda Marcos, Gretchen Cojuangco and Emmanuel Borlaza.
“What I
want to depict are beautiful Filipinas,” Boquiren, a
University of Santo Tomas Fine Arts alumna, says in a
melodious tone. “I am happy and inspired to make those
beautiful faces.”
When she
studied at the UST, it was the citadel for emerging
painters, artists and musicians. Her craft and artistry
were further developed and encouraged by such acclaimed
mentors and teachers as Galo Ocampo, Victorio Edades,
Diosdado Lorenzo and Napoleon Abueva. She was the art
editor of the school organ, The Varsitarian, and also
worked for a certain time at Grafikforms Inc. under
Arturo Luz.
A
pioneering founder of the Saturday Group of Artists and
also a member of the Art Association of the Philippines,
Boquiren uses her art in advocating social causes that
she supports. In her previous one-woman show Remedies by
Boquiren, she painted dynamic women helping in the
preservation of the environment. One particular
painting, Father, Heal Our Land, Boquiren is
deeply proud of for its powerful message of renewal and
hope.
In a
new booklet to be published by The Metro Gallery, of
which Boquiren will be the featured artist in August and
where she displays most of her works, Life, Love &
Beauty: Images of Women Through the Eyes of the Filipino
Artist, her Flower Gatherers takes a spot on
the cover jacket.
“When
you start painting, and you don’t stop, you will
eventually discover your own style, your favorite colors
and your own lines,” says Boquiren. “Nowadays, when
people view my paintings, they readily know it’s me.
They are easily drawn to the Beautiful Filipina.” The
Metro Gallery is on P. Guevara Street, San Juan, Metro
Manila, near Café Isabel.
For
information: 726-6543, 0927-5335170, chittyrene@hotmail.com. |
