Maria Porges wrote, “When the Cat in Copycat Was a Dog (2016) takes the shape of a simple break and replicates it, like an echo or a shadow. A suite of pieces from this series, now in the collection of the Gardiner Museum in Toronto, includes the photograph that seemingly gives the series its name. It shows his granddaughter and the family dog, lying on his dining room floor next to each other in the same crossed-leg repose. This charming, funny picture seems to reach back far into Melchert’s artistic past, touching on his experiments with performance, projected images, and even the envelope rubbings. At the same time, it reveals his openness to the moment: a willingness to accept what comes his way by chance and allowing it to lead him towards something new.”