To Have and to Hold: Trinity Kankara

The Kaduna Fashion and Art Festival (KAFART) is back this year for its 6th overall edition and 1st edition as a biennial. The theme is “To Have and to Hold.” We had earlier spoken to the festival director, Ganiyat Sani, about what this edition promises. We spotlight some of the exhibiting artists and designers, asking them questions about their creative origins, their distinct interpretations of the theme, and how their heritage and local communities shape the narratives they choose to preserve against the threat of erasure.

Take us back to where your relationship with art began. What are your earliest memories of making, and who or what first made you feel that creating was something you could do, and perhaps needed to do?

My relationship with art has always been there. It is a gift I have carried for as long as I can remember, but I never truly took it seriously until 2024, when I began rekindling that relationship, gradually exploring coloured pencils and discovering how much I loved working with them.I never imagined myself working with acrylics until I met someone who believed in me, sometimes even more than I believed in myself. He taught me, guided me, and encouraged me to keep creating.At first, I felt I needed to create because I didn’t want to take his belief and encouragement for granted. But the more I created, the more I discovered what art meant to me. It became a way to quiet my often loud and occupied mind. There is a kind of peace I find in creating, a space where I can better understand myself, my experiences, and the people around me.Today, I create because I have stories to tell. Stories drawn from my experiences, my heritage, and my observations of the world around me. Stories I hope will connect with people, offer encouragement, and remind someone that they are not alone. What began as a gift I had never fully explored has become a voice I am determined to use. 

This year’s theme, “To Have and to Hold,” asks what we choose to hold, what we let go, and the cost of holding on. When you first sat with those words, what did they stir in you, and how do they show up in the work you’re bringing to KAFART?

I think about what we carry with us as we grow older: memories, traditions, experiences, and the things we love. When I encountered the theme To Have and to Hold, I thought about how some things become part of us over time, shaping who we are and what we pass on to others. The work i am bringing to KAFART explores the idea that holding on does not always mean keeping something for ourselves. Sometimes, it means preserving what matters and passing it on. As the older woman holds on to her memories and traditions, the younger girl stands ready to create her own. For me, the beauty lies in that transition: one story does not have to disappear for another to begin. We can honour what came before us while making room for what is yet to come.

Tell us about the piece, or body of work, you’re exhibiting. What is the story behind it, and what do you hope someone feels or understands when they stand in front of it?

My painting, The Next Story, explores memory, cultural heritage, and the passing of knowledge from one generation to another.The work depicts an elderly woman painting her memories onto a claypot, a practice she has continued since her younger years. Now old and grey, she still finds joy in what she loves. Her subtle smile reflects a sense of fulfilment as she revisits moments of her life through the images she creates. Behind her, a young girl watches while holding an empty claypot, representing the beginning of her own story and the possibilities that lie ahead. Through these two figures, I reflect on how the things we hold on to become part of what we pass down. Our memories, traditions, and experiences do not have to end with us; they can become the foundation upon which another generation builds. At the same time, the empty claypot reminds us that the next generation has its own story to create.  I hope that when people stand before this painting, they think about the people who have passed something meaningful on to them and the things they, in turn, hope to leave behind. Ultimately, The Next Story is about honoring what came before us while making room for what comes next, because as one story ends, another begins.

Take us through how your work comes to life, from the first spark of an idea to the moment you know it’s finished. Which materials, rituals or habits are essential to you, and is there anything about your process that would surprise people? 

My process usually begins with an idea, a memory, or something from my everyday experiences that sparks my curiosity. I spend more time thinking about what I want to communicate and how I can translate that idea into imagery that allows people to connect with the work in their own ways.  I  work primarily with colored pencils and acrylics, sometimes combining both, though this painting was done with Acrylics only. l enjoy paying attention to small details that give my subjects character and bring their stories to life.     My process is quite reflective. I often find myself thinking deeply about the meaning behind the work as I create it, and sometimes the idea becomes clearer as the painting develops. I don’t always have every detail figured out from the beginning; I allow room for discovery and unexpected possibilities. One thing that may surprise people is that my relationship with art is not always straightforward. I have astigmatism that sometimes makes seeing and painting difficult, but I continue to find ways to work through it. It has taught me patience and to approach my practice with greater intention.I know a piece is finished when the visual elements and the story feel connected, and I can look at it and feel that it communicates what I hoped to express. For me, i realized overtime that finishing a painting is not necessarily about making every detail perfect,it is about reaching a point where the work feels complete and has a life of its own beyond me.

KAFART asks what endures in the face of erasure and forgetting. Is there a story, tradition, skill or memory from your culture, family or community that you feel is at risk of being lost, and how does your work help you hold onto it?

One of the things I fear we may lose over time is the knowledge, stories, and traditions passed down by our elders, especially as younger generations become more disconnected from the practices and histories that shaped their communities. Growing up, I learned about my cultural heritage through my late mother, and I have come to understand how much of our identity is carried through the people who share these stories with us. This is one of the ideas behind my painting, Through this work, I want to explore how we can preserve what we have inherited without limiting the generations that come after us. For me, cultural preservation is not simply about keeping traditions alive as things of the past, it is about allowing them to remain relevant, to evolve, and to find new expressions through the people who carry them forward. I believe that when the people who hold our stories are gone, we risk losing parts of ourselves if we have not made an effort to listen, remember, and pass them on. Through my art, I hope to document, reinterpret, and celebrate these fragments of our heritage, creating a space where they can be remembered and carried into the future.

What does it mean to you to show your work at KAFART, and how has your community, your city and the way you grew up shaped the way you see and make?

Showing my work at KAFART means a lot to me because it creates an opportunity to share stories rooted in my experiences and cultural heritage with a wider audience. I see it as a space where different perspectives can meet, where our stories can be celebrated, and where we can discover how much we share despite our differences.Exhibiting at KAFART is also an opportunity to contribute to the ongoing conversation about Northern Nigerian art, women and the many stories within it. Growing up in Kaduna has shaped the most part of my experiences , particularly my understanding of culture, identity, and the importance of the stories passed down through generations. My Ham heritage and the knowledge I received from my mother influenced my curiosity about where we come from, what we inherit, and how these things shape who we become. These influences often find their way into my work through cultural references, patterns, colours, and the stories behind my subjects. However,  my heritage is not a boundary around my practice. Rather, it is a foundation from which I continue to explore, question, and discover new ways of expressing myself. I hope my work encourages people to look beyond what they see on the canvas and connect with the memories, experiences, and identities that make us who we are.

What is the work you haven’t made yet that excites you most, and what do you hope people carry with them after experiencing your work at KAFART?

I am excited about exploring more stories that connect my personal experiences, cultural heritage, and identity, especially through works that combine traditional art with technology to make our stories more accessible to younger generations. After experiencing my work at KAFART, I hope people leave with a deeper appreciation for the stories, traditions, and people who have shaped them. I want them to reflect on what they have inherited, what they choose to preserve, and what they hope to pass on, because our stories deserve to live beyond us.