Melanie Cove works in drawing, filmmaking, installation, printmaking, writing and performance and is currently studying for a Masters in Contemporary Art Practice at the Royal College of Art.
She cares for the legacy of the artist Ben Cove and was recently the co-curator of Ben Cove in Space at Space, Ilford, London.
Melanie is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Twisted Trees Productions, an arts organisation based in Manchester.
Recent Work
Persephone Caran D' Ache pencil on Fabriano paper
175cm x 150cm, 2026
Eve in the Garden, or Cassandra Red Blacking pencil on Fabriano paper
160cm x 135cm, 2025
Phot credit, Neelanchal Gupta
Self Portrait Talking to the Artist Ben Cove
This is a series in development exploring my relationship with my brother, the artist Ben Cove who died in 2016 at the age of forty one.
All the works begin Self Portrait Talking to the Artist Ben Cove so that there is no mistake that this is anything other than a very personal point of view about living alongside my only sibling who was a lifelong wheelchair user due to Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), commonly known as Brittle Bone Disease.
Most works thus far have been text based with accompanying performances.
You can read the commissioned text by EK Meyerson about the performance Self Portrait talking to the Artist Ben Cove; I Dream of Stairs which took place at Kettles Yard here:
Response to Melanie Cove, Kettle’s Yard, 28.01.2026
The film, Self Portrait talking to the Artist Ben Cove; The Revenant can be viewed here.
Self Portrait Talking to the Artist Ben Cove; The Revenant
Shroud of Rag, Bone, Willow and Twine, mid-century style arm chair, coffee tables CRT monitor and headphones. Film dur. 15min 1sec, 2026.
Collaboration
Curatorial
