Ann's invisible greyhound is most bewitching

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Research Background: Ann's invisible greyhound is most bewitching forms part of an ongoing investigation into representations of female werewolves throughout history. The print was produced while taking part in the Tartu Artist in Residence (TAiR) program at the Estonian Printing and Paper Museum, between 1 August - 30 October 2017, and exhibited on site as part of the solo exhibition "Hell Hunt and the Slippery She-Wolf" at the conclusion of the residency. Research Contribution: The work draws attention to the historical figure of Kongla Ann, who was tried for witchcraft in the Estonian town of Viru Nigula on 2 May 1640. While Estonia enjoyed an unusually high prevalence of female werewolf persecutions and folklore, Kongla Ann is the only one to have a memorial dedicated to her, and she has been described as a symbol of all "nonconformers and dissenters throughout the ages whose activity has enabled Estonian traditions and customs to survive to this day". Despite this, Estonia's female werewolf histories are largely unknown outside folkloric circles, even within Estonia. In providing a visual profile for this largely overlooked history, my work offers a novel understanding of how the female werewolf may serve as a unique signifier of cultural identity. Research Significance: TAiR is a competitive international artist residency, facilitated by the Estonian Print and Paper Museum in conjunction with the Tartu City Council. The 2018 Open Call generated 88 applicants, from which 16 artists were selected. My residency was further supported by a stipend from the Tartu Cultural Endowment fund. The exhibition was comprehensively reviewed by folkloric scholar, Tiina Vahi, for Estonia's premier newspaper, Postimees, including an in depth analysis of "Ann's invisible greyhound..." My work also illustrates a chapter on Kongla Ann in Heili Reinart's 2018 publication Õrnad ja Tugevad, which draws attention to significant but overlooked women in Estonia's history.