Staged to coincide with the 1997 ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, ASEAN Masterworks was a high-stakes exercise in cultural diplomacy that marked the bloc’s 30th anniversary. Mooted by Tan Sri Ahmad Kamil Jaafar and organized by Rohana Mahmood alongside art dealer Valentine Willie, the exhibition brought together works from across the region, including the newly admitted member states of Laos and Myanmar. The project arrived at a volatile historical juncture; while the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis threatened regional stability, the exhibition sought to project a unified “ASEAN identity” through the power of high art. Supported by the Al Bukhary Foundation, the presentation moved from the exclusive setting of the Palace of the Golden Horses to the National Art Gallery, signaling a significant moment of convergence between private enterprise, state institutions, and soft power.