Artist with aphantasia Abel van Oirschot debuts Birch photo project

Abel van Oirschot, a 24-year-old Amsterdam-based artist with aphantasia—a neurological condition that prevents mental visualization—creates art as a necessary act to translate emotions into tangible forms. His first large-scale photographic project, Birch (2025), was shot in a small garage and explores queer identity, alienation, and escape through the metaphor of a hand-built spaceship. The project features 1960s design objects borrowed from Tom's Vintage Shop, chosen because van Oirschot sees that era as a politically charged time of seeking meaning among the stars. Birch was supported by the Amar te Fonds and is entirely AI-free. Van Oirschot's practice spans set design, photography, and illustration, and he holds a master's degree in Communication Science, which informs his holistic approach from concept to communication. He also works with brands, helping them develop visual identities, and his work has reached celebrities like Billie Eilish, Viola Davis, Troye Sivan, and Manu Rios.