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. In a recent interview she says the work she creates is part of an engagement with the physical tactile properties of cowhide and aspects of control that allow or prevent her from manipulating this organic material. The use of the cowhide to make such bold statements about femininity is very intriguing and very authentic with connection to the African rituals.
The first time this woman’s fierce work caught my eyes it was just love at first sight. These master pieces are very hard to miss and spark a dialogue within yourself. The first time I heard about this very captivating artist was when she was announced as this year’s Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for the (Visual Artist) category. She is also a multi dimensional artist not only making sculptures but also creating photographs, drawings and videos. The video that made me aware of her strong presence is the video “UKUNGENISA” in which she engages in bullfighting in the abandoned Praca de Tourose in Maputo, the arena where Mozambican once had a fight for the entertainment of the Portuguese during the colonial epoch.
She also had an exhibition on the Greek myths of Europa, Zeus and the Minotaur. On the images of the rape of Europa, she appears on the images as Europa. This woman is an unstoppable force in the arts industry. With exhibitions around the world and countless awards under her belt, she has achieved a very rare success with her authentic and very fierce art pieces. She makes art that sparks dialogues and art that arouses the mind and eyes, opening up your imagination
She creates sculptures cast out of cowhide and moulds them into feminine body forms which are usually her own. In a recent interview she says the work she creates is part of an engagement with the physical tactile properties of cowhide and aspects of control that allow or prevent her from manipulating this organic material. The use of the cowhide to make such bold statements about femininity is very intriguing and very authentic with connection to the African rituals.
The first time this woman’s fierce work caught my eyes it was just love at first sight. These master pieces are very hard to miss and spark a dialogue within yourself. The first time I heard about this very captivating artist was when she was announced as this year’s Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for the (Visual Artist) category. She is also a multi dimensional artist not only making sculptures but also creating photographs, drawings and videos. The video that made me aware of her strong presence is the video “UKUNGENISA” in which she engages in bullfighting in the abandoned Praca de Tourose in Maputo, the arena where Mozambican once had a fight for the entertainment of the Portuguese during the colonial epoch.
She also had an exhibition on the Greek myths of Europa, Zeus and the Minotaur. On the images of the rape of Europa, she appears on the images as Europa. This woman is an unstoppable force in the arts industry. With exhibitions around the world and countless awards under her belt, she has achieved a very rare success with her authentic and very fierce art pieces. She makes art that sparks dialogues and art that arouses the mind and eyes, opening up your imagination
Her exhibitions include: Umphantsi Wempi, Ukungenisa, The Rape Of Europa, Waiting and Umncedo
Nandipha Mntambo will be exhibiting at this year’s Grahams town Annual Arts Festival.
Nandipha Mntambo will be exhibiting at this year’s Grahams town Annual Arts Festival.
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