25th May, 2026

What am I working on?

I recently created another piece of texture art, this time experimenting with a spatula. This is how it looks:

A reel of the process added here.

What am I reading?

Rare Flavours by Ram V and Filipe is yet another visually stunning comic with a yet another unique plot that feels like a feast — both visually and narratively. It is about Rubin Baksh, a Rakshasa who has a very mortal dream of being the next Bourdain. To achieve his dream, he hires Mo, a filmmaker, to document the world-renowned cuisines of India and the people behind making them. But unknown to Mo initially, Rubin is a man-eating demon and is also being chased by two demon catchers. The comic itself goes into such great detail about the recipes that Rubin and Mo document during their journey, almost like a cookbook, listing the ingredients and its history. From the humble comfort of masala chai and the rich indulgence of raan, to the transformative journey of triple schezwan rice and more.

Perhaps Rubin’s journey is less about striving to become like someone and more about remembering the connections that once truly mattered (and the same goes for Mo). However, the reason for devouring the people behind those rare flavors still eludes me. Does it suggest that we inevitably revert to our old ways—that primal instincts can never be suppressed for long, not even in a human, let alone a demon? Oh, and, there are those poignant segments where Rubin writes multiple letters, desperately reasoning out why he left, his deepest fears, and his grandest dreams - almost making it poetic.

Whatever be the reason, Ram V’s storylines open up such a vast world of possibilities, and I absolutely love it. The duo's ability to get such off beat characters to life is somewhat their signature style, I think.

What am I watching/watched recently?

I watched the Secret of Kells this week. Directed by Tomm Moore, it is a visually spectacular masterpiece following the tone of a Hero's journey. The story follows Brendan, a young monk in medieval Ireland, who disobeys his uncle obsessed with building a wall to keep out the ferocious invaders, to create the Book of Kells, an illustrated manuscript of the gospels dating from the 9th century. The figures and caricatures are flat, drawn without keeping perspective or proportion in mind. I noted that the village is drawn in geometric shapes and in dark colours while is forest has curved, free flowing vibrant images. The intricate patterns drawn by Brendan for the book is so so beautiful. The entire sequence towards the end of the movie that shows the vibrant patterns and composition of the book coming to life is extraordinary. The movie has its layers, the way Brendan and Aisling meet and how she facilitates his Hero's journey, the invasion and gory destruction by invaders, the story of brother Aidan and how he mentors Brendan. The end however seemed rushed and I don't know if I understood the secret fully well. Maybe that "Secret" of Kells is actually its roots in the natural, pagan world just like how the ink for the book comes from the forest, and the inspiration comes from mystical encounters with nature.

The intricate and beautiful illustration in Book of Kells.

New thing I learnt lately?

Situated on the edge of Santiago, Quilicura, now a growing hub for data centers, has seen 16 such facilities been approved since 2012. We know data centers consume vast amounts of energy and water to cool their servers. And this expansion comes as Chile endures a 15‑year megadrought.

As a response, up to 50 community members participated in the “Day Without AI” on January 31, engaging with Quili.AI prompts for 24 hours. Each participant contributed their own skills: when prompted for an image, a local artist drew it; when asked for a recipe, someone in the community shared a personal one.

When we are young, we are taught small actions to conserve energy and resources like using a bucket to bath, not letting water run while brushing, switching off lights, etc. Healthy and mindful AI habits will be something we need to think about and adopt.

Fun fact: Ashburn, Virginia has the highest number of data centers globally and is known as "Data Center Alley," with over 1,000 operational facilities. Up to 70% of the world's daily internet traffic passes through this Northern Virginia hub.