Ellen Gallagher

Born in 1965, in Providence, Rhode Island, Ellen Gallagher burst onto the art scene in the mid-1990s. Ellen's Irish and African-American origins have shaped the texture and subject matter of her work. She is known for her politically charged paintings, collages, drawings, prints, sculptures and films about African-American history and culture. Her work is inspired by a wide range of references: nineteenth-century literature, science fiction, ocean life and vintage magazine advertising. In the tenth episode of Brilliant Ideas, brought to you by Bloomberg and Hyundai Motor, we catch up with Gallagher in her studio next to the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.