Viagra Boys: The Swedish Punk Band’s Hilarious Take on the Absurdities of the Art World

The Swedish punk band Viagra Boys has released a new single called “Man Made of Meat.” The music video dives into the art world, showcasing the band’s unique style of absurdist satire. It starts with lead singer Sebastian Murphy, a heavily tattooed man in a tank top, exploring a museum filled with pink-hued artwork that mirrors his own tattoos. After downing a bottle of wine, he carelessly breaks it on the floor, causing other visitors to mistake the shattered glass for art.

In this strange setting, Murphy meets a sharply dressed man portrayed by Swedish artist Ernst Billgren. This mentor guides him through the art scene, shaping him into the next big name in the art world.

Director Daniel Björkman shared that the video’s concept is all about placing the band in an unfamiliar environment. “What happens when you put Viagra Boys in an art gallery? This fragile, fleeting place,” he explained.

As Murphy navigates different art movements, he engages in humorous, exaggerated versions of various styles. He interacts with a Duchamp-style bottle rack and parodies action painting by flinging paint suspended in a harness. One particular scene even echoes a memorable moment from The Big Lebowski, where a character zip-lines through a studio while painting.

Though Björkman highlighted the accidental similarity, he acknowledged the vastness of art influences: “When you put your story in this vast world, people will find references that I’ve never even heard of,” he said.

René Magritte’s surreal style significantly influenced the video’s aesthetic, shot at the historic Konstnärshuset and Bogesund Castle in Stockholm. The video also features works from contemporary Swedish artist Leo Park, whose piece “Swedish Bather” is seen at the start. Park also designed the cover art for the band’s upcoming album, which displays a surreal portrait of Murphy, featuring the word “lös” (meaning “loose” in Swedish) tattooed on his forehead.

Park noted that the creation of the video inspired ideas from a “devilish elf-like character” he had seen, along with Sonic Youth’s album cover for Dirty, which showcases a photo of a worn stuffed animal. He appreciated watching his art included in the band’s playful critique of the art world: “You just have to let go of your control over it,” he said, trusting that collaboration would yield unexpected results.

As Murphy’s character rises to fame, he navigates a whirlwind of parties, scandals, and overwhelming attention. The lyrics capture his chaotic feelings: “I hate almost everything that I see, and I just wanna disappear.” This culminates in a flashback where he chooses to walk away instead of tossing the wine bottle, hinting at a struggle between embracing art or escaping that world entirely.

In the end, the video poses an intriguing question: Is the artistic life too much for him, or will he continue to create outside of the pressures of fame?

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