MALI - Sira Sissoko is a talented young woman who learned to make paper at a workshop in Bamako conducted by Canadians. Sira has been incorporating natural dyes from Mali in this medium ever since. In 2000 she visited the United States for the first time, joining a group of artists assembled by painter David Carlson to exchange ideas at the Pyramid Atlantic in Washington, D.C. The deckle-edged thick papers, combined with the richness of color derived from henna, mud, onionskins, and cinnamon, present delicate abstract visuals with powerful inferred statements. La Lumiere (The Light) shows two halves of paper, almost mirror images of each other, connected by two thin sticks and strands of paper. In each there are two white areas or rays of light. The layers of dye, textures and inclusions in the paper all interact to make it a dynamic piece. Sira says it recalls an ancient Bamana design, showing the force of light on darkness, and means that truth will conquer falsehood. L’Automne (Autumn) is dedicated to the artist’s visit to Washington, where she was struck by the falling leaves. Danse des Signes Bambara (Dance of the Bambara Signs) uses ancient symbols of the Bamana people that represented the powers of water, masks, and circumcision. The piece consists of woven strips of beautifully dyed handmade paper, printed with the traditional designs that serve the Bamana as a visual language.