Veronika Pausova (b. 1987, Prague, Czech Republic) is a Montréal-based painter whose practice marries surreal figuration with graphic abstraction. Her oil paintings feature a recurring cast of human and non-human elements—hands, toes, insects, flowers—juxtaposed with experimental techniques, including fabric imprints and decalcomania-inspired textures. Pausova’s compositions are marked by repeated forms, fragmented narratives, and hyper-realistic details, set against abstract grounds. Her work often explores themes of transformation, humor, and the tension between control and improvisation, creating visual stories that feel enigmatic and captivating.
Pausova received her BFA from the Glasgow School of Art in 2009 and her MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2013. Her solo and two-person exhibitions include presentations at Simone Subal Gallery (New York), the Esker Foundation (Calgary), Bradley Ertaskiran (Montréal), and The Sunday Painter (London). Her work has been featured in group exhibitions at Perrotin (Paris), Public Gallery (London), and the Remai Modern (Saskatoon). Pausova’s paintings are held in prominent collections, including the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, the Rachofsky House (Dallas), and the Zabludowicz Collection (London).
Widely reviewed in publications such as Art in America, Canadian Art, and The New Yorker, Pausova’s work was the subject of Fast Moving Sun, a monograph published by the Esker Foundation in 2022.