Intrusive Art at Ajanta Caves


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Creator/Artist: Sreelekha S

Category: Animation Design

Document: Design Research

Batch: 2013-2015

Source: India,   IDC IIT Bombay

Period:  2009-2018

Medium: Report pdf

Supervisor: Prof. Sumant Rao


Detailed Description

This project explores “Intrusive Art” at the Ajanta Caves, a term coined by art historian Prof. Walter M. Spink to describe unauthorized and unplanned sculptures and paintings added to the original cave structures. The research examines the presence and characteristics of intrusive sculptures across the caves, particularly their irregular placement and deviation from the original architectural symmetry. The project involved field research and photographic documentation of intrusive artworks, along with a study of the Hinayana and Mahayana phases of Ajanta’s development. The documentation highlights the importance of identifying these additions to better understand the original architecture, paintings, and sculptures of the Ajanta Caves.