« What are these masks? These masks also speak. What are they? Of what do they speak? The masks are African tribal masks. They have a strong emotional impact on the viewer, but the viewer has little idea of their significance unless he himself is African or is a specialist in African art and culture. For most of us these are mysterious, unfathomable objects whose language is a hidden one. What can be appreciated is, however, their aesthetic beauty – a powerful, forceful beauty that transmits a message even if the nature of that message may be unclear. In her masks Fatoumata Sidibé does two different but related things. First, she transforms the three-dimensional objects into two-dimensional paintings. Second, these paintings take on a life of their own, becoming “art” in their own right. Fatoumata Sidibé is a magician. By means of her spells she changes masks into paintings. By means of her magic she makes her masks speak, and they speak in her poetry of the tragedy and the pride that are Africa, of the sadness and the joy. »