Engineer-turned-artist sets Guinness record with chilli-turmeric painting
Amar Kale, a former mechanical engineer from Karnataka, India, set a Guinness World Record by creating a 175.82 square metre painting using turmeric and chilli powder. The artwork celebrates the cultural heritage of his home state through the use of traditional spices.
Why it matters
The story highlights the intersection of traditional cultural elements with modern artistic expression and personal career pivots.
The world is brimming with incredibly talented people. And Karnataka's Amar Kale is one such artist who has created history with his out-of-the-box thinking. When most people reach for turmeric and chilli powder for cooking, Kale, a 29-year-old artist from South India, created an art piece telling a story about heritage of his state.In January 2026, Kale made a painting measuring an astonishing 175.82 square metres (1,892.5 square feet) using turmeric and chilli powder. The artwork, made in Dharwad, Karnataka, earned him a place in the Guinness World Records for the largest spice painting.The story behind the artThe story behind this record is about a man who chose to leave an engineering job and follow his childhood passion. Kale grew up watching his father, who was also an artist. He naturally developed an interest in the world of painting when he was young.
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