SFMOMA Unveils KAWS: FAMILY Exhibition with Over 100 Works and 36-Foot Rooftop Sculpture

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) has opened "KAWS: FAMILY," the artist's first major West Coast museum exhibition, featuring more than 100 artworks spanning three decades. The highly anticipated show, which began its member previews on November 13 and opened to the public on November 15, 2025, also includes a monumental 36-foot-tall inflatable sculpture, "HOLIDAY: SAN FRANCISCO," on the museum's rooftop. The exhibition runs through May 3, 2026, with the rooftop installation visible until mid-January 2026.

Brian Donnelly, known professionally as KAWS, brings his distinctive visual language to SFMOMA, exploring themes of shared emotions and pop culture. The exhibition showcases a wide array of his work, from paintings and drawings to sculptures, advertising interventions, and product collaborations. At the heart of the display is "FAMILY" (2021), a large bronze sculpture depicting his iconic characters COMPANION, BFF, and CHUM.

The rooftop installation, "HOLIDAY: SAN FRANCISCO," marks the 14th global stop for KAWS's ongoing "HOLIDAY" project, organized with AllRightsReserved. This monumental inflatable of the COMPANION character is free for public viewing and is presented in celebration of the "KAWS: FAMILY" exhibition. The presence of KAWS's work at SFMOMA has generated significant public interest, as highlighted by a tweet from Nick Berg 盧柏格 simply stating, "KAWS at SFMOMA."

KAWS, a Brooklyn-based artist born in Jersey City in 1974, began his career as a graffiti artist before earning a BFA in illustration in 1996. He has since carved a unique position in the art world, blending street art aesthetics with fine art, and collaborating with major brands. His multidisciplinary practice frequently centers on characters drawn from American animation and pop culture, recontextualizing familiar imagery to create dialogues around cultural memory.

"KAWS: FAMILY" was originally organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario and curated by Julian Cox, with SFMOMA's presentation curated by Daryl McCurdy. The exhibition is a surcharged event, costing $10 on weekdays and $12 on weekends, though it remains free for museum members. SFMOMA anticipates the popular artist's exhibition will significantly boost attendance and engage a broad audience with its playful yet poignant works.