Invading Space

On Design in general:
I encountered what I consider Good Design last night. I prefer when Good Design manifests itself as something that removes you from your role as detached spectator and thrusts new experience upon you. Anything that can actively change your behavior and perceptions. 
  I attended The Last Supper Festival at Third Ward. The theme of the event was to bring people together at the table to think about the world hunger crisis.
I walk in expecting to find a typical buffet and paintings on the wall. But the organization of space is anything but expected. Around the periphery of the room stand display podiums with little reflective silver trays of food. I notice a very sculptural cake next to a tray of cookies. There are only two cookies left and I go to grab one. But It's not real food, it's a sculpture. I think " oh Shit. I touched the artwork" and look around to see if anyone has noticed. Some of the food is edible and on other trays theres syringes and viles and glued on pills. 
The best part of the buffet are these Giant metal scales hanging from the ceiling with shallow troughs of food hanging from chains. They move up and down and are placed  so close together so you have to maneuver in and out and pull them down to  and see whats within. Then, while trying to balance your plate and drink, and avoid getting smashed by another scale, you have to fight off about ten people for a spoonful of cucumbers. The whole experience was really uncomfortable and awkward. I loved the whole thing because the design was so intrusive and really made you think about the entire interaction. 
Also, to add to the surrealism of the evening there's a rock band playing in the opposite photo studio. There's a seamless wall in the backdrop and instead of typical instrument they're using marching band instruments. It was like a scene out of Shortbus. The whole night made me reflect on the Ted talk about designs relation to happiness. For me, Design is pleasurable when it heightens your consciousness, especially when it does so by making you Uncomfortable.