Kiran Sahgal

Roll Up Project is pleased to present ceramic sculptures by Kiran Sahgal. Sahgal’s iterative process of sketching and sculpting has yielded a new series of abstract sculptures that reference the natural world and marks of humanity.

In the Harrison Street window, Sahgal recreates his studio environment. Shelves packed with vases, cups, bowls, and small sculptures hover behind larger sculptural works, reminding us of the back-and-forth conversation that naturally occurs between functional and sculptural works in a working space. The large sculptures in the foreground each contain a void, which could be interpreted as a confined space to inhabit, or an aperture through which to view the other side, or an airy counterbalance to the bulky heft of the forms themselves. Whatever path the viewer’s eye skates along, the negative space is an inevitable draw. In works like Hillish (2025) and I Did That on Purpose I Swear (2025), it is completely closed, while in Dirb (2025) and ReRun (2025), it remains open and emphasizes the calligraphic nature of each sculpture’s arches and points. Sahgal noted that he started working with negative space out of a desire to challenge his preconceptions, facing his discomfort head-on. The work has led to a deeper understanding of volume and has illuminated new potential forms, implying a whole new vocabulary for future work. This iterative process is at the heart of an artist’s daily work in the studio.

Sahgal’s sculptures have a timeworn quality, and are influenced by glazing and finishing techniques from around the world. In works like Mn Mayhem (2025), the iron within the clay body is drawn to the surface during firing and results in a textural metallic finish. Cirb (2025) – on view in the Third Street windows – has a mossy green Anderson Valley ash glaze, which is tempered with a wash of inky browns. Sahgal sands, layers, and applies glazes, always ceding some control to the kiln’s fire, which ultimately determines a glaze’s outcome.

Sahgal sees ceramic sculptures as a part of a much larger timeline of existence, which may last long beyond our lifetimes and built environments, just as so many ancient ceramics have. They are reflections on the place and time in which we live, and the way we perceive and interpret our connections to one another.

About the artist

Kiran Sahgal is a ceramic artist based in Oakland, California. Sahgal spent his formative years in Ojai, apprenticing under Marj Churchill. He earned a BFA in Ceramics from CCA in 2022, and has worked in the college’s sculpture and ceramics studios. Sahgal’s work has been included in exhibitions in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Kyoto.

Learn more about his work on Instagram: @yay_kiku