Legarda celebrates ‘Sensible Form’ launch

Senator Loren Legarda joined cultural leaders at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025 over the weekend for the launch of "Sensible Form: Essays" by Patrick Flores, a collection underscoring Filipino scholarship’s role in global art discourse.

The book launch was a centerpiece of the Philippines’ Guest of Honour program at the fair. Author Patrick Flores is also the curator of the Philippine Pavilion, which is the nation’s focal point during the historic event.

Legarda, who chairs the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts, praised the collection for its analytical rigor.

“This collection of essays stands apart from its disciplined clarity, its refusal of empty statements, and its persistent attention to the details that are most significant,” Legarda said. She highlighted Flores’ approach to interpretation, describing it as a rigorous engagement with “vision and response.”

The senator also recalled Flores’ pivotal role in the Philippines’ return to the Venice Biennale after a 51-year hiatus.

“He played a pivotal role in shaping our return to the Venice Biennale, reminding me that art’s significance lies not only in its exhibition but in the conversations it starts and the identities it affirms,” Legarda explained.

She concluded with a tribute to Flores’ influence, saying, “With the Sensible Form: Essays by Patrick Flores, we are given the power to see, to ask, to persist.”

The launch is one of several high-profile events showcasing the country’s literary and scholarly excellence during the Guest of Honor program.