Son of the storm, 2026

For the past several years, I have lived with a chronic illness that affects the nervous system and has profoundly changed the way I experience the world around me. Son of the Storm is a portrait of my youngest son and forms part of a body of work created throughout my healing journey. In this painting, I wanted to express something of the difficulty and uncertainty of that journey, while also capturing the resilience, vulnerability and hope that I see in my children. His face emerges from loose, broken and unresolved areas of paint, reflecting something of my own experience of moving through illness and gradually finding my way back. Through my work, I am interested in the interplay between my senses and the world around me, and in creating portraits that go beyond physical likeness. I explore the tension between realism and expressionism as a way of giving form to emotion, memory and lived experience. Son of the Storm is ultimately a portrait of my son, but also a reflection on resilience, love and healing.

Ignacio Rojas is a visual artist and educator with a deep passion for portrait and figurative work. He has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions across Australia and has been a finalist in prestigious art prizes, including the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, Lester Prize, Kennedy Art Prize, and Rick Amor Self Portrait Prize.
Ignacio has taught painting and drawing at several institutions, including the Melbourne Studio of Art, Footscray Community Arts Centre, the Centre for Adult Education, and NACT Create, sharing his skills and enthusiasm with students of all levels.
For the past five years, Ignacio has faced a chronic illness affecting his nervous system, which temporarily diminished many of his physical and creative capabilities. Through this challenging journey, he discovered a renewed love for painting and brain retraining, transforming adversity into growth. His artworks explore the tension between expressionism and realism, capturing emotional resonance and the depth of human experience.