Metal Magazine Nº51

A few months ago, we were here celebrating our 18th anniversary with the release of issue number 50. Often, I wonder — not without a certain amazement — how we’ve managed to reach this point. Undoubtedly, it’s thanks to the hard work, dedication, and support of so many people who, in one way or another, have contributed to this project, helping it grow and evolve. And, of course, it’s also due to the successes we’ve accumulated along the way, alongside a fair share of mistakes. Because yes, mistakes also add value. I’ve said on more than one occasion that the magazine which ultimately reaches the newsstands is not just the result of what you see on its pages but also of what is absent from them. It’s not only the product of our achievements but also of our errors. This issue, now in your hands, is about how mistakes are an important part of both our personal and professional growth. We must not only allow ourselves to make mistakes but actively push ourselves to do so, as it is the only way to face new challenges and forge new paths, accepting that we may go wrong, even spectacularly so. And we won’t mind, because each mistake brings a lesson that will help us improve in the future.

“No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better,” writes María Muñoz-Martínez, quoting Samuel Beckett in her interview with artist and filmmaker Amalia Ulman, who throughout her career has explored certain contemporary dilemmas and attitudes that might be considered erratic. This issue also features an interview with artist Alexandre Lavet, who has integrated error into his work, not as something intrinsic to the artwork itself but rather in how the viewer perceives it. We’re reminded of last month, when one of his pieces ended up in the bin. After all, if you place what appear to be two empty, slightly crushed beer cans in an unexpected setting— even inside a museum —it’s easy for someone to misinterpret them. It’s not the first time this has happened, nor will it be the last. Far from being annoyed, Lavet says he feels a certain curiosity about seeing viewers’ reactions to his work, understanding his art as a kind of performance where not only the final piece matters but also the audience’s interaction with it.

In this issue, we also talk about mistakes with Omar Apollo, Sonoya Mizuno, Dafne Keen, and Kim Petras. “Mistakes have always made me better,” Kim tells us. “Sometimes your mistakes and your embarrassing past make you figure it out and push you toward where you want to be. Learning from mistakes is what brings you to the things that actually work and that you actually like. So just live your life and make your mistakes, because they bring you closer to who you are meant to be.” Designer Walter Van Beirendonck is also clear that “Studying fashion is a lot of trial and error; it’s the way you learn.” Really, it’s how we learn in general — at work and certainly in life. Yet, as we well know, making mistakes doesn’t prevent us from repeating them.

Rightly or wrongly, with this issue, we’ve decided to launch a new logo and design after several years of following the same approach. Because, yes, we felt like it — we wanted to tell things differently, with a new aesthetic. Change always stirs up a bit of unease. But we’re happy with it. We hope we got it right.