If you’ve unfortunately had to step foot into Canberra Hospital’s paediatric wards, you will have been met with pastel artworks.

The 50 metres of art has been created by African-Australian Canberra visual artist Musonga Mbogo.

Mbogo was one of four artists selected in 2023 to create artworks for the Canberra Hospital Expansion Project’s new Critical Services Building. The project was completed in October 2024.

Then aged 23, the artist said when he received the phone call that he was chosen to present the concept for the artwork, he thought it was a prank!

Mbogo said the concept was called Welcome Home.

“To me, it represents being a Canberran who travels for work or travels for leisure and alike,” he told CD.

“It’s meant to evoke that peaceful feeling and that you can appreciate all the things we have.

“I dedicated the full concept to my family and friends, then used the vibrant artworks to tell that story.”

He said the pastel artwork – his favourite palette to work with – featured nature and cityscapes in a vibrant way.

Mbogo said while the work was targeted for children aged 0-16, it was told through a lens that could also be appreciated by parents and families.

In June this year, the project, which also included artists Hannah Quinlivan, Kate Vassallo and Peta Kruger, won the Pamille Berg Award prize in the Australian Capital Territory Architecture Awards 2025.

While working on the hospital project in 2023, Mbogo was also commissioned to create the artwork for the promotional materials for Triple J’s Hottest 100.

“It went really well; I was really stoked,” he said.

“Growing up, The Wiggles were heroes to me, they shared my art, and so did other artists I looked up to growing up.

“It was a very surreal moment, and admittedly, Triple J was a three-day turnaround, so it was a very quick process.

“I was very proud of that achievement. Even at the time, I presented about three ideas, and that third one is exactly what they were after.

“The reassurance of something I created immediately being accepted by the tastemakers was really cool.”

Now 26 years old, Mbogo runs an art club at Little Mama’s Café in Kingston which is open to anyone who wishes to join. The monthly sessions are held on the third Thursday of the month from 7-9pm.

Mbogo’s works can also be found at Canberra Art Gallery in Fyshwick where he is a represented artist.

You may also recognise him from his one appearance as a back-up dancer for one of his closest friends, fellow Canberran musician Genesis Owusu, at the 2021 ARIA Awards.

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