From September 29 until January 31, 2027, the Institut du monde arabe (IMA) is hosting an exhibition titled Vive la mariée! that explores the rituals and practices surrounding marriage in the Maghreb, a region in North Africa that includes countries like Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The exhibition features approximately forty traditional costumes from these countries, including embroidered caftans, henna gloves, bath slippers, and a wedding outfit from Tiznit, Morocco. These items, dating from the 19th or 20th centuries, highlight the national and regional specifics of marriage, as well as the evolution of clothing and the continuity of rituals, from the preparation of the trousseau to the making of pieces and the preparation of the bride. The exhibition also includes works by 27 contemporary artists, offering artistic and subjective perspectives on the theme. Visual artist Aïcha Filali contributes colorful and embroidered photomontages based on archival images capturing the recent political history of Tunisia. For her series Moroccan Brides, Valérie Belin explores the place of costumes on the bride's body, noting that "Dressed like idols, Moroccan brides transform into a decorative motif, while asserting the irreducible otherness of their presence." Algerian-American documentary filmmaker Kenza Bousseloub presents Beauty in the chaos, a short film capturing the essence of a two-month stay at home in Algeria, focusing on family moments and the chaos of her older brother's wedding. She explains that most weddings in Algeria are prepared at home, creating a chaotic and lively environment, which she finds exciting for capturing the best moments. The exhibition also includes the piece Wedding Garden of Love by Maïssane Alibrahimi, which questions power relations, patriarchal structures, and the construction of femininity, featuring an installation made of molded sugar pieces decorated with pearls from caftans. Other works include Carolle Bénitah's Alone in the World from the series Memorable Photos, and Ghizlane Sahli's The Sea, Origin of the World..., which uses plastic waste embroidered with silk and wool thread. The exhibition is accompanied by a series of projections and can be seen at the Institut du monde arabe until January 31, 2027.