“Data Center” Installation by Cassandra Tant

Written By Molly Kresse

In the summer of 2026 Mainframe Studios put out a call to tenants to create a installation in lobby. Cassandra Tant was selected to create an interactive piece reflecting Mainframe’s history. “Data Center” was installed on September 28 2026.

Mainframe’s building was originally built in the 1970s to house mainframe computers, literally a center to house data. Today Mainframe Studios is a nonprofit creative workspace for over 200 artists. Cassandra's installation in the 1st Floor Elevator Lobby offers a new take & invites us to slow down & consider our relationships to technology, our environment, & each other.

Her cabinet of curiosities holds a mix of fact & fiction making it a direct reference to the credibility of information that we receive from AI sources. Guests are welcomed to ponder the objects & connect it back to our space where over 200 artists observe, process, & reflect the world around us on a human level.

“My goal for this installation was to help contribute to this wonderful place in which our community comes together to experience, participate in, & celebrate artistic expression.” - Cassandra Tant

Cassandra Tant is a painter, printmaker, & naturalist based in Des Moines, Iowa. Her work celebrates first-hand observations of the natural world & explores the link between curiosity, recognition, appreciation, & conservation. She is inspired by what can be witnessed in parks, gardens, prairies, & forests, both locally & globally. She invites the viewer to consider what may be transpiring in their environment & better connect with the organic world around us.

Cassandra's Info

Guests can see “Data Center” in person during Mainframe’s public hours Tuesday - Saturday from 10am - 4pm.

Molly Kresse
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