Description:

Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua
This whakataukī is a guiding pillar for this project, as it speaks to the importance of carrying the knowledge and wisdom of the past, as we move towards the unknown of the future.

Hear Us Out is an inter-generational and intercultural project that brings together design educators, students and elders within their respective communities to create typographic posters that amplify the voices of older generations. The students are required to ask an elder (65+) “If you could give one piece of advice to the people in your city (in 20 words or less), what would it be?”. This conversation happens not over text, email or phone, but rather kanohi ki te kanohi. Students are then tasked with translating this life advice from their elders into visually striking typographic posters which get pasted up around their respective cities.

Started here in Kirikiriroa, there are now 7 countries involved, across two years (ongoing), which is 193 students, 193 posters and 193 conversations with elders.

This project challenges students to consider the social impact of their work and the ethical dimensions of storytelling through design.

One student sums this project up as: “a bridge between generations, fostering a deeper understanding of the knowledge that precedes us and continues to shape our collective experience."

This project invites students to consider the type of designers they aspire to become, the messages they wish to champion, and how their craft can be wielded as a force for good in the world. It enables them to perceive design as an instrument of positive change, albeit small, such as the simple act of hearing someone out. ​