Fordland takes as its starting point a collection of Ford Motor Company advertisements archived in Detroit where the company has long been based. The advertisements, beginning from the 1920s, position the latest Ford cars against the backdrop of various American landscapes. When viewed collectively these advertisements reveal how an instrumentalised landscape has been crucial in supporting consumer culture and promoting the aspirational ‘American Dream’.

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Danielle Dean has deconstructed and reproduced the original source materials in order to remove the car and place the viewer in the passenger seat. The footage was shown in an exhibition.

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The animation was created in collaboration with Gary Dumbill, with illustrations by Marceline Mason.

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Software: Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop