Matt Furie

Matt Furie (Matthew Furie; 1979 – ) is an artist and illustrator from the USA, recognised for his creation of the character Pepe the Frog, a character from his Boy's Club series. The anthropomorphic character became a popular Internet meme in the 2000s-10s. Initially conceived as a laid-back, slacker figure, Pepe gained widespread popularity on internet forums before being co-opted by extremist groups, much to Furie's dismay. Furie's art style is characterised by its whimsical and playful aesthetic, often featuring cartoonish characters rendered in watercolour and ink. His work, often imbued with whimsy and Pop Surrealism, reflects the internet's subcultural landscape, exploring themes of identity, irony, and memetic phenomena.