Born in Cape Town in 1975, Nicholas Hlobo studied at the Technikon Witwatersrand, where he earned his Bachelor of Technology in 2002. Based in Johannesburg, he emerged as a significant voice in contemporary art by developing a distinct aesthetic that blends traditional craft techniques with complex conceptual inquiries.

His practice is defined by the meticulous cutting and stitching of industrial and domestic materials, such as rubber inner tubes and organza. These tactile, often organic-looking forms serve as metaphors for the body and the social fabric, navigating his identity as a queer Xhosa man while addressing the lingering legacies of colonization in South Africa.