That's a big eye

I remember thinking that I once maybe heard that the reason people like babies so much is because humans are programmed to love the site of vulnerable beings with disproportionately large body parts. I sorta think I remember hearing too that this is why people are so in love with puppies whose big floppy squishy fluffy puffy paws are just too damn cute to resist wanting to squeeze until they turn to dust and bloody bones. Of course, by this logic that would mean people would also be unflinchingly drawn to “little people” (is that the right usage of the term?), but we all know the jury is still out on that one (unkind humans!).

In any case, it seems NYC is fitting right in with the findings of behavioral scientists—apparently not immune to the alluring qualities of the curiously large—as today people passing through Columbus Circle will catch a glimpse of a gigantic eye projected onto the side of the Museum of Arts and Design as part of their “Otherworldly: Optical Delusions and Small Realities” exhibit.

From Gothamist:

In “Eye Contact,” visitors to Columbus Circle can watch a pre-recorded montage of activity from the Circle through a peep-hole box. As you watch the video footage, your larger-than-life eyes will be projected onto the museum, and possibly even divided up and combined with other people’s eyes, too.

Did anyone get that? You watch the footage of the eye through a peep-hole that in turn projects the image of your own eye back onto the museum? Whatever happened to just building a 44′ tall white head and placing it in a park somewhere?

Nevertheless, this wondrous eye is defs happening and will provide endless enjoyment for:

• lovers who like to be watched while making out
• old people who don’t feel safe unless someone is constantly watching them
• the schizophrenic guy who can’t seem to convince people that he is constantly being watched
• tourists dying to tweet the phrase “only in NY” while touristing in NY with an iPhone

I’d love to check this out for meself, as lately I’ve been feeling a bit like subject #2, but it seems the window of opportunity to catch the God-sized ball of eye is devastatingly slender. Catch it between 8:30pm to 11:30pm tonight and tonight alone.