Enza Gandolfo is a fiction writer and an Honorary Professor in Creative Writing at Victoria University.
Her first novel, Swimming (Vanark Press), was published in 2009 and was shortlisted for the Barbara Jefferis Award. She is interested in the power of stories to create understanding and empathy with a particular focus on feminist and political fiction. Enza is also interested in women and creativity, and the use of narrative research and practice-led creative arts research methodologies that produce alternative ways of knowing and understanding.
Enza has been involved in a number of collaborative projects including: with Prof Marty Grace, The everyday creativity of women craftmakers (2009) and The Glory Box Project (2011) and with Sue Dodd, Inventory on op shop (2008).
Enza is a co-editor of TEXT, Journal of Writing and Writing Courses and a founding member of the Victoria University Feminist Research Network which brings together feminist researchers from across disciplines to conduct research related to contemporary gender issues.
Recent publications
Books
Grace, M and Gandolfo, E (2011) Love And Care: The Glory Box Tradition Of Coptic Women In Australia. Vulgar Press, Melbourne.
Gandolfo, Enza (2009) Swimming Vanark Press, Melbourne – release date August 2009
Gandolfo, Enza and Grace, Marty (2009), …it keeps me sane …women craft wellbeing, Vulgar Press, Melbourne.
Dodd, Sue and Gandolfo, Enza (2007), Inventory: on op shops, Vulgar Press, Melbourne.
Films
Harris, A and Gandolfo, E (2014) Art/Hope/Culture
Grace, Marty and Gandolfo, Enza (2009), It keeps me sane: craft, creativity and wellbeing, Victoria University, Melbourne.
Exhibitions
Gandolfo, E and Harris, A 2014 Transience Footscray Community Arts Centre Curated by Megan Evans
Grace, Marty and Gandolfo, Enza (2009), … it keeps me sane … women craft creativity wellbeing, Victoria University, Melbourne. Curated with Belinda Cody, and held at Level 17 Artspace, 300 Flinders Street, Melbourne.
Dodd, Sue and Gandolfo, Enza (2007), Inventory: on op shops, Installation by Dodd and Gandolfo held at Living Museum of the West.
Short creative works
Gandolfo, E (2015) No Fixed Position in Mothers & Others (eds) Natalie Kon-Yu, Christie Nieman, Maggie Scott, Miriam Sved, Maya Linde, Random House, Melbourne
Gandolfo, E (2013) ‘The Gift’ Social Alternatives Volume 32:3 2013 p60-63
Gandolfo, E (2012) ‘Memories of Lace’ in Carmenta: Australian Italian Writers Italian Institution of Culture Melbourne
Refereed journal articles
Creative writing and practice-led research
Gandolfo, E (2015) City Ghosts TEXT Special Issue: Creative Writing as Research IV, October 2012 Nigel Krauth and Donna Lee Brien Ross Watkins, Dallas Baker, Anthony Lawrence and Moya Costello(eds)
Gandolfo, E (2014) ‘Take a walk in their shoes: Empathy and emotion in the writing process’ TEXT 18:1
Gandolfo, E (2012) ‘Women Walking: Fragments’ TEXT Special Issue: Creative Writing as Research II, October 2012 Nigel Krauth and Donna Lee Brien (eds)
Gandolfo, E (2012) ‘Constructing imaginary narratives: practice-led research and feminist practice in creative writing’ Qualitative Research Journal Vol 12 (1)
Evans, M and Gandolfo, E (2009) ‘Collaborating with the enemy’ TEXT: Journal of Australian Writing Programs. Special Issue Number 6 Supervising the Creative Arts Research Higher Degree: Towards Best Practice, Edited by Donna Lee Brien and Rosemary Williamson.
Narrative and autoethnographic
Harris, A., & Gandolfo, E. (2014) 'Looked at and looked over or: I wish I was adopted.' Gender, Place & Culture, 1-15.
Grace, M and Gandolfo E (2012) ‘Passing on love and care: the glory box tradition of Coptic women in Australia’ ANZJAT: the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art Therapy Vol. 7 No. 1, 2012
Gandolfo, E and Grace, M (2010) ‘Women doing it forever: The everyday creativity of women craftmakers’ ANZJAT: the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art Therapy Vol 5.
Book chapters
Gandolfo, Enza (2013) ‘Hairy Ideals’ in Alison Bartlett and Margaret Henderson (eds) Things That Liberate: an Australian Feminist Wunderkammer, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle, UK
View more of Enza's publications in VU's Research Repository.
Fellowships and residencies
2010 Visiting Fellow Centre for Narrative Research, University of East London
2010 Visiting Fellow School of Media and Communication RMIT University
1998 Varuna Writer’s Centre Fellowship
Postgraduate research students and fellows
Completions
7 PhD students (co-supervisor), 2 Masters students (principal supervisor)
Current supervisions
4 PhD students (principal supervisor), 1 PhD student (co-supervisor)
Enza's areas of postgraduate research supervision are:
- creative writing
- creative arts research
- practice-led research
- narrative research.
Professional memberships
- Victorian Writers Centre
- Fellowship of Writers Australia
- Australian Association of Writing Programs
- Association of Writing Programs, USA
- Narrative Network, Australia
- Feminist Research Network
Portfolios
Areas of expertise
- Craft and wellbeing
- Creative writing
- Feminist fiction
- Fiction writing
- Literary Studies
- Narrative research
- Practice-led research and creative arts research
- Women and creativity
