Nandipha Mntambo was born in Swaziland in 1982. She graduated with masters in Fine Art (with a distinction) from the Michaelis school of Fine Art. Venturing into art was not first choice. She initially wanted to become a forensic pathologist but her calling to be an artist proved to be too strong to reject. She creates sculptures cast out of cowhide and moulds them into feminine body forms which are usually her own.