In 1981, the Filipino artist and curator Raymundo Albano adopted the expression “Suddenly Turning Visible” to describe the rapid transformation of Manila’s urban landscape. The visibility that Albano evoked was aspirational, driven by a desire for rapid economic growth in which art had a critical role. This catalogue traces this story through three influential art institutions: The Cultural Centre of the Philippines, the Alpha Gallery in Singapore, and the Bhirasri Institute of Modern Art in Bangkok. It presents in rich detail artworks from the period, an anthology of primary documents, and interviews with curators, artists and architects, revealing the links between architecture, modern art and the role of institutions in Southeast Asia.