Jorge Ignacio Nazábal Cowan was born in Havana, Cuba.
He graduated in Biology at the University of Havana in 1985 and worked twelve years as a biologist in a cytogenetics laboratory.
In 1996 he began to study at the Academy of San Alejandro Arts of Havana and graduated from there in 2000.
In 1997 he left his job as a biologist and devoted himself to painting.