Der Einsatz quantitativer Methoden zur Messung der Wirkung von Kunst auf junge Menschen am Beispiel einer Skulptur von Katharina Grosse[The Use of Quantitative Methods to Measure the Effect of Art on Young People Taking a Sculpture of Katharina Grosse as an Example]

The Lionsclub Düsseldorf-Hösel participated in the acquisition of the elliptical-shaped sculpture by Katharina Grosse, art professor in Düsseldorf. This colourful work of art measures 11 x 8 meters (H x W) and was handed over on September 17, 2014 in a public ceremony. It can be found in the Ehrenhof of the Museum Kunstpalast in front of the library. The aim of the study was to find out whether this work of art has an effect on young people: This was to be done by measuring the psychological feelings by means of a semantic differential towards the location before and after the mounting of the artwork while also attempting to determine the effect by means of an open-ended question. The results are quite meaningful: In the six closed-ended questions asked the values improved significantly on the 0.1 % level in five features. In the characteristic "fits to Düsseldorf" a significance level of 2 % was achieved. In the open-ended question, 80 young people judged the future location very negatively: A total of 84 % negative and only 16 % positive statements. After the mounting of the artwork a further 80 young people were asked who then made 70 % positive and only 30 % negative statements. This difference is also statistically highly significant. The results of the experiment are interpreted psychologically and discussed in the light of the philosophy of science and epistemology. Finally, attention is drawn to the everyday impact assessment in corporate practice and the appropriate use of "real" artists in corporate and brand management is discussed.