To Have and to Hold: Adams Abba

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 began in childhood. I was always drawing and scribbling, and it was something I naturally found joy in doing. One of my earliest memories of making art takes me back to my primary school days, when I would kneel in front of the centre table at home with my sketchpad, completely absorbed in drawing.

As I grew older and got into secondary school, that love for art was nurtured by the encouraging environment and, particularly, the teachers who handled the subject. They recognised my interest, encouraged me to take it seriously, and helped me see that something I already loved doing could become a path I could pursue.

Looking back, I believe I had a natural inclination towards art, but I also understood that having a talent was only the beginning. I had to put in the work to develop it and become better at what I did.

What started as a childhood activity gradually became something more meaningful to me. Art became a way of expressing myself, exploring ideas, and communicating things that might otherwise be difficult to put into words. Over time, I realised that creating was not just something I enjoyed doing; it was a part of who I was and something I wanted to keep growing in.

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?

When I first encountered the words to have and to hold, I thought about love, connection, and the things we consider blessings in our lives. I also thought about what it means to hold on to the people, values, and traditions that give our lives meaning.

These ideas show up quite literally in my work. In Transcending Boundaries, a male and a female figure from different cultural backgrounds are intertwined, holding on to each other. For me, this represents love that goes beyond cultural differences and the willingness to embrace another person’s identity while building something meaningful together.

In In Full Bloom, I explore holding in a different sense through the image of a pregnant woman. Pregnancy represents fertility, abundance, and the blessing of carrying new life. It also speaks to the responsibility of nurturing and preserving something precious.

Together, these works reflect my belief that what we hold is not always something physical. Sometimes, it is a person, a memory, a cultural value, or the possibility of a new beginning. They remind us that holding on can be an act of love, preservation, and hope.

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?

The body of work I’m exhibiting explores the human body as a vessel of life, identity, connection, and memory. Through abstracted figures, vibrant colours, and patterns inspired by cultural symbols, I explore the things we carry within us and the experiences that connect us to one another.

In Transcending Boundaries, I explore how love and human connection can bring people from different cultural backgrounds together. The intertwined figures represent the willingness to embrace our differences and build meaningful relationships beyond the boundaries of culture.

In In Full Bloom, I focus on pregnancy as a symbol of fertility, abundance, and the continuation of life. For me, the pregnant body represents more than the creation of life; it also represents the possibility of passing down values, traditions, and memories to another generation.

Through these works, I want viewers to reflect on what they hold dear, what they have inherited, and what they hope to pass on. I hope they feel a sense of connection and recognise that beneath our differences, we share fundamental human experiences: love, care, belonging, and the desire to preserve what matters to us.

The works ask us to consider how the things we hold today become part of the memories and traditions that shape tomorrow.

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 work usually begins with an idea that develops in my mind. Inspiration can come from almost anywhere: my personal experiences, my surroundings and also a conversation with someone. Sometimes, an idea comes to me when I least expect it, so I try to write it down somewhere before I forget it.

When I’m ready to work on a piece, I begin translating that idea into a visual form. As the work progresses, I’m constantly thinking about how I can develop it further and make it better than what I initially imagined. Sometimes, the finished work goes beyond the original idea, and I enjoy allowing that process of discovery to happen.

I’m also very explorative with materials and techniques. I don’t like to restrict myself to a particular medium or style because I value the freedom to experiment and find the most suitable way to express an idea. This is one of the reasons my practice includes mixed media and different approaches to painting.

One thing that might surprise people is that I rarely make physical sketches before starting a piece. I usually develop the composition through mental sketches, visualising the forms and arrangements in my head before bringing them to life on the canvas.

For me, the process is a balance between what I envision at the beginning and what I discover along the way. I know a work is approaching completion when the different elements come together to communicate what I want to express, and I feel that further additions would no longer serve the work.

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 thing I feel deserves greater attention and preservation within our cultures is the tradition of food, the rituals surrounding it, and the communal practices that bring people together.

Food is more than something we eat to survive. It carries stories about where we come from, how our people lived, the ingredients they used, and the knowledge passed down through generations. The process of preparing and sharing a meal can also be an important way of expressing love, preserving relationships, and maintaining a sense of belonging.

However, as lifestyles change and younger generations become increasingly disconnected from certain traditional practices, some of this knowledge risks being forgotten. We may continue to eat familiar foods without fully understanding the histories, customs, and communal experiences behind them.

My work approaches cultural preservation through the human body, symbolic forms, and patterns that evoke inherited knowledge. In In Full Bloom, I explore the body as a vessel of life and continuity, while Transcending Boundaries reflects on how cultural exchange allows traditions to travel, adapt, and remain relevant.

Although my paintings do not directly depict food preparation, they explore the deeper ideas of nourishment, inheritance, and connection that surround it. For me, preserving culture is not simply about remembering the past, it is about carrying its meaningful parts into the future and ensuring that they continue to live through us.

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 great deal to me, particularly because I come from Kaduna State. As someone who grew up in Zaria, being part of a platform that celebrates creativity in the region I call home gives me a strong sense of pride and belonging. It is encouraging to see initiatives like KAFART creating opportunities for artists to share their work, connect with wider audiences, and contribute to the creative community.

Growing up in Zaria has also influenced the way I see the world and approach my practice. My experiences and surroundings have given me perspectives that inform the ideas I explore in my work. I believe that where we come from shapes how we interpret life, even when we are exploring experiences that are universal to humanity.

As an artist, I draw from my own experiences and observations to create work that reflects my perspective. Taking these ideas beyond my immediate environment allows me to share that perspective with a wider audience and gives people an opportunity to encounter ways of seeing that might be different from their own.

For me, showing at KAFART is not just about exhibiting my work; it is also about being part of a growing creative community in Northern Nigeria and contributing to a platform that allows artists from the region to be seen, heard, and appreciated.

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?

Interestingly, it is often the next work I haven’t made yet that excites me the most. I’m always thinking about new ideas, possibilities, and different ways of expressing myself, so there is a sense of anticipation around whatever I’m about to create next. I enjoy the uncertainty of not knowing exactly what a new idea will become until I begin working on it.

Looking beyond KAFART, I’m excited about continuing to experiment with materials, techniques, and visual forms while pushing the boundaries of my practice. I want to keep discovering new ways to translate my experiences, observations, and ideas into works that people can connect with.

As for what I hope people take away from experiencing my work at KAFART, I hope it gives them a different perspective on life and encourages them to look beyond their first impressions of things. I want people to pause, reflect, and perhaps reconsider how they understand themselves, other people, and the world around them.

I hope my work leaves people with something to think about, a feeling they can relate to, or a perspective they might not have considered before. For me, art is not just about what the artist puts into a work; it is also about what each person discovers in it through their own experiences.