Illuminating legacy at ASU
From left: Avery and Robert Moric gaze upon the groundbreaking installation "Point Cloud (ASU)," by renowned artist Leo Villareal, on display at the entrance of ASU Art Museum. Photo by Tim Trumble
In 2020, the ASU Art Museum unveiled a groundbreaking installation, "Point Cloud (ASU)," by renowned artist Leo Villareal. The art piece was given a permanent home on the Tempe campus in 2024 thanks to a philanthropic investment from father and son alumni. In late December, the two reunited with the artwork and reflected on their legacy to the university.
Robert graduated with an undergraduate degree in architecture in 1991 from the College of Architecture before it became part of The Design School within ASU's Herberger Institute for Design and Arts in 2009. Avery graduated with an undergraduate degree in architecture from the Herberger Institute and Barrett, The Honors College in 2023.
The Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation and the Herberger Institute Dean’s Creativity Council also invested to support the creation of the art piece.
“We are deeply grateful for our experiences at ASU,” Robert said. “Supporting 'Point Cloud (ASU)' is one way we express our gratitude. We hope our actions inspire others to share their own stories and support the community we proudly call home.”
Villareal's installation, inspired by the museum’s architecture, which was designed by Antoine Predock in 1987, explores the blurred boundaries between abstraction, recognition and perception. Produced in collaboration with the ASU Art Museum and the Los Angeles County Art Museum (LACMA), the piece features a monolithic light board emitting points of light generated by a digital scan of the building.
“Ideas, communication, art, architecture, access and community — these interconnected concepts embody the essence of human cooperation,” Robert said, explaining his decision to support this acquisition. “This synergy is epitomized by Villareal’s artwork housed within Predock’s architecture for the ASU Art Museum, at one of the most innovative public universities, situated in one of the largest and most dynamic contemporary cities.”
"Point Cloud (ASU)" serves as a meditation on Predock’s work, revealing the deep layers and references embedded in the architecture as it ascends toward the sky and descends into the Earth. The ongoing movement of light within the installation prompts viewers to consider deeper understandings of the masses and forms around them, questioning what is visible and what is ephemeral.
The mobile three-dimensional scanning company Kaarta scanned the building inside and outside using lidar. The exterior model consists of approximately 147 million points, and the interior model consists of 53 million points.
The millions of points of light form together in the eyes of the viewer to create a spatial image of the ASU Art Museum in a three-dimensional form and allow the perspective to move throughout the structure, giving viewers a chance to understand the building in a whole new light.
“This installation is a fantastic addition to the ASU Art Museum and the Tempe campus as a whole,” said Miki Garcia, ASU Art Museum director. “It’s accessible 24 hours a day, so people can come and enjoy the piece at any time.”
Robert Moric is an entrepreneur and the creative force behind bulthaup Scottsdale and m-ARCH design studios. He collaborates with clients, architects and interior designers worldwide to craft engaging interplay between tectonics and interiors.
Avery Moric continues to build on his academic background. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in architecture at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.
“There is a temporal connection between the architecture of the ASU Art Museum, built during my father’s student days, and the 'Point Cloud (ASU)' itself, dedicated during my time at ASU,” Avery said. “This poetic linkage connects the two of us across time in the continuum of the university’s history.”
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