4 Generations and 4 Gigs of Memory Necklace writeup from IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts

IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts

This month’s featured collection highlight is “4 Generations and 4 Gigs of Memory” Necklace by Kevin Pourier (Oglala Lakota), A-i-R ’14. The necklace holds a four-gig flash drive at its center. Its parfleche-inspired design recalls traditional motifs once carved or painted on rawhide boxes used by the Lakota to carry personal belongings. Just as those boxes held memories, this contemporary piece carries today’s digital memories—merging tradition with innovation.

Kevin and Valerie Pourier, Oglala Lakota artists from the Pine Ridge Reservation, create wearable sculptures through their business, Buffalo Horn Artforms. Kevin, one of the few artists working in incised buffalo horn, continues the Lakota practice of transforming horn into vessels of beauty and meaning. His work celebrates cultural continuity, inspiring reflection, growth, and education.

You can see this work in the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) exhibition, "The Stories We Carry, " on view through September 30, 2026, and discover more by Kevin Pourier and other artists in our online collection at research.iaia.edu.

Image: Kevin Pourier (Oglala Lakota), “4 Generations and 4 Gigs of Memory” Necklace, 2014, Buffalo horn, orange sandstone, yellow sandstone, mother of pearl, 4 GB flash drive, 17 x 2.5 in. IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts Collection: S-339; Artist-in-Residence Purchase, 2021. © Kevin Pourier.