By Hilda Filke, Staff Writer
As many people are aware, the meme of a tired-looking frog that goes by the name of ‘Pepe’ has become increasingly popular on the Internet. The meme’s popularity has expanded over time, triggering not only the spreading of the picture but several different recreations of it as well. Recently, however, the popularity of the meme has also spread to River Hill.
What started as a single drawing of Pepe on a wall in the Art Room has developed into a collection of over 50 variations of the frog. Art students and non-Art students alike have joined together to form the Pepe Wall, pinning up different versions of the meme. The drawings range from portraits of celebrities, including Donald Trump, Drake, the Weeknd, Napoleon Dynamite, and Kylie Jenner, to drawings of Pepe morphed into objects, such as a pumpkin and a bug. But the Pepe Wall wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the original drawing that started it all. Although other people may claim to have started the trend, the actual mastermind behind the Art Room’s first Pepe drawing is none other than an Art 3 Honors student.
“I literally just drew the O.G. Pepe, pinned it to the wall, and then my friends started adding Pepes and it just grew,” says Anna Hovet, the sophomore that started River Hill’s Pepe craze. While her drawing was essential to the beginning of the Pepe Wall, she admits that her decision to create and pin the drawing to the Art Room wall was impulsive.
“It was late at night and I was like, ‘there’s crazy things going on in the art room, I’ll just make it even more crazy,” says Anna about her thought process behind drawing Pepe. “It was kind of a rash decision… I see that now, but, you know, what happened happened.”
As the Pepe Wall has grown in the Art Room over time, so has the school’s overall acceptance of the meme. As many art students would agree, Pepe is on its way to becoming a mascot for the Art Room, allowing all students to participate in creating the collection of the meme. Although the wall is honored by several students, no one is more proud of the Pepe Wall than its creator.
“I feel like a proud mother. You know, it’s my legacy and this will carry on for years to come,” says Anna. After some more thought, she frankly adds, “maybe just a week, but, for now, it’s my legacy.”