A Soviet Design for Life

A unique tour through the Soviet century - via one woman's extraordinary collection of books, propaganda posters, ration coupons and even cigarette packets - is the focus of a new exhibition opening to the public on July 4. The turmoil of the Soviet century, good and bad, will reach anyone through the visual force of Catherine's astonishing collection." - —Mel Bach Catherine Cooke, a world-renowned expert on Soviet architecture and design, spent decades amassing a vast and eclectic collection of thousands of books, journals, postcards and other ephemera before her tragic death at the height of her intellectual powers in 2004, aged 61. A Soviet Design for Life: The Catherine Cooke Collection of 20^th Century Russian Architecture and Design is on display at Cambridge University Library's Exhibition Centre from July 4, 2012 to April 6, 2013 (admission free). Containing rare and unusual items, many on display for the first time, A Soviet Design for Life chronicles life in Russia from the late Tsarist period to perestroika through the prism of art, architecture and design. As well as propaganda posters and rare books, Catherine Cooke also collected everyday and seemingly mundane items, including bank notes, badges, perfume bottles, professional membership cards and even food packaging - anything that caught her eye from a design perspective. Mel Bach, who has curated the University Library exhibition, said: "Soviet design and architecture are of increasing interest, as witnessed by the Royal Academy's recent show 'Building the Revolution'.