JENNA GARRETT ^(US)

Teeth of the Wolf investigates a group of post-Civil War vigilantes as a method to explore militia violence in the United States today. Known colloquially as the Bald Knobbers, the group was made up of everyday citizens—shop owners, ministers, and sheriffs—who swore to protect their community from lawlessness. In just five short years, their numbers swelled from 13 to an estimated 500. By the time they disbanded, 17 people died, plus countless reports of floggings, arson, jail escapes, and lynchings. The Bald Knobbers became the terror they swore to defeat. Teeth of the Wolf interrogates the story of these men. It’s a history obfuscated by secrecy and whitewashed through decades of mythology and commercialisation. Drawing from the few remaining documents and photo archives, Jenna Garrett reimagine the violence of the past and recontextualise its incarnation in the present. The goal is to extend the vigilantes’ legacy beyond its origins, revealing how their terrorising tactics haven’t disappeared, but merely mutated.