Raúl Martínez

Who was Raúl Martínez?

Publio Amable Raúl Martínez González, known as Raúl Martínez, was a Cuban painter, designer, photographer, muralist, and graphic artist. He is best known for colorful pop-art portraits of leading Cuban political figures including José Martí and Camilo Cienfuegos.

Martínez was born in Ciego de Ávila and studied in Havana and at the San Alejandro Academy in Havana, Cuba, and later at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His early works were abstract, moving towards figurative work later in his career. After the Cuban Revolution of 1959, Martínez helped the foundation of the Cuban Film Institute, Casa de las Américas and the Cuban Book Institute, through his career as a freelance graphic artist.