Remy Boquiren

An Epitome of Strength 

Text By Hannah Jo Uy

 The women that are formed by the elegant strokes of Remy Boquiren have a beauty that is timeless. A beauty, that is the stuff of romantic epics, a beauty that is humble yet potent, subtle yet fascinating and, most importantly, imbibed with a special kind of strength that distinctly belongs to the Filipina woman. It is a multi-dimensional strength, a strength manifested in relation to husband, child, friend and country. It is a strength that moves mothers to wake up at the crack of dawn to care for her children, the strength to support her husband and partner, the strength to be devoted and have faith in Divine providence, the strength to command attention, confident in her capabilities without become overbearing or arrogant. Such is the strength that our women are known for. And it is this very strength that has moved Remy Boquiren to paint. 

For Remy Boquiren, anything Filipino has been a point of obsession. Her home in Marikina, quiet and cozy surrounded by beautiful flowers and furnished with wooden and capiz pieces, display her patronage of local craftsmanship that exhibits her sincere love for her roots.

Boquiren wears her heart on her sleeve, or rather, more fittingly, on her paintings. Her style, distinctive in the faces of the figures, is nostalgic. It is a throwback to a simpler time, a time when virtues such as perseverance, diligence and humility are the very characteristics of beauty. The scenes, mostly with a rural background feature Filipina women in all their glory, their flawless caramel skin, dark hair, perfectly formed lips and penetrating eyes in the midst of various activities, dressed in an assortment of traditional costumes. 

“I don’t have women who are empty handed,” says Boquiren,” I don’t want them to be idle. Except for the studies, they are usually holding something or doing something.“

The scenes that Boquiren favors have a provincial setting, featuring women carrying baskets laden with crop or fruits, women holding flowers in reverence to nature or stringing sampaguita together to make garlands, women clutching both hands in prayer, women working on embroidery, women lovingly nursing a child transforming her arms into a safe and loving nest. Her works emphasize the striking qualities of womanhood, and there is a certain stillness that dominates her works. It exudes tranquility; a certain peacefulness borne from a familiar maternal touch that soothes the soul. 

The paintings of Boquiren are also set apart by a special quality, one that shows off her mastery of techniques in art. This is the ethereal glow in the figures that is characteristic of her style. “The light comes from the heart, “ says Boquiren,” it radiates from within.” As Boquiren strives to bring admiration to the provincial Filipina women, she does so in magical way by artistically showing the very glow, a certain spark of life, which has captured her imagination. There is no darkness in her paintings. There is a brightness that overcomes the dullest circumstance, a brightness that is in remembrance of a life lived for what is beautiful and good, and knowing that to live such a life, women only need to look inside themselves. 

No one understands a Filipina woman better than Remy Boquiren, for in every work she paints lessons learned from her own journey as a woman. Being a wonderful example of a woman artist, she has had to overcome her own obstacles, central to which is finding the courage to throw herself fully and wholeheartedly into painting.

Even as a young girl, Remy felt that she was different, she was drawn to images, and observed the world around her more carefully than her peers. Devoid of much exposure to the arts, she did not know how to channel her need for expression. Upon graduating high school, she had chosen to study Education in her local college however; her uncertainty and restlessness prevented her from continuing as she felt that there was something missing.

After relocating to Manila, Remy went to University of Santo Tomas to study Fine Arts, major in Advertising. On her first day, in her free hand drawing class, she recalls her teacher Diosdado Lorenzo coming in, placing a bust on the table and asking them to copy it. “It was as though the angels sang,” she said ” that was really what I wanted.”  

As a fine arts student, Remy thrived. Aside from her classes, she was running back and forth from the Fine Arts building to the UST Press where she worked part time. She was also involved with the school newspaper, the Varsitarian, and paved the way for women after her by becoming the first woman Art Director in the Varsitarian.

Upon graduating, Boquiren took a hiatus from painting, gaining experience from various jobs. She had worked briefly as an artist for Graphic Forms, which was owned by National Artist Arturo Luz for about a year, until she went to University of the East as a teacher. Here she worked for 10 years, in the School of Music and Arts, teaching classes such as illustration, drawing from life, lettering, costume and fashion design. It was also during this time that she had cared for a family of her own. 

However soon enough she was restless once again, itching to go back to her first love: Painting. “Yung kamay ko, ‘di na kayang magtiis. Parang pinahihirapan ko na sarili ko,” she says. 

In no time, Remy was back in front of the canvas, juggling her family along with her passion. Her first exhibit was in Surigao, however it was her exhibit in ABC Gallery in 1977 that allowed her to break into the art industry. Entitled, “The Way We Wear,” her first major show displayed her aptitude for drawing Filipina women, and her knowledge of costumes. The show was attended by a high profile clientele, and caught the eye of Imelda Marcos along with her entourage. The former First Lady bought out 9 of her paintings, and asked her to make another show the following year, to which she complied by making an exhibition of women, cultural minorities in customary attire. 

Since then, Remy Boquiren holds a strong place in the art industry, with more than a dozen solo exhibitions under her belt and countless group shows. Not always keen on public appearances, she prefers the quiet of her own home, working on the flood of commissioned work that has often kept her busy. However, years after her first show, she still has the magic touch that brings people in awe of her work. 

For now, Remy has settled into a comfortable routine, focusing on her art and kept busy by her active participation in her group, Art Wednesday, as well as her weekly Bible study. “ That’s what I like, so my life is complete. There’s a balance, you have your life, you have God and family.”

In Remy Boquiren, we see a life made meaningful by family, faith and passion.