Editorial Arte y Literatura (cover design: Raúl Martínez; editor: Omelio Ramos Mederos; author: Alejo Carpentier), "Crónicas, Tomo I," 1975. Print book.

"Crónicas, Tomo I" represents a significant collection of journalistic writings by Alejo Carpentier (1904-1980), one of Latin America's most celebrated novelists and a pioneer of magical realism. Published by Editorial Arte y Literatura in 1975, this first volume showcases Carpentier's chronicles—a literary form between journalism and essay that captured the cultural and political pulse of his era. The cover design by Raúl Martínez features a hypnotic pattern of rounded rectangles in alternating yellow, orange, and brown tones against a rich green background, creating a rhythmic visual composition that echoes the serialized nature of chronicle writing.

Martínez's design demonstrates his signature approach to book covers as standalone artworks, using repetitive geometric forms to create visual harmony while maintaining bold graphic impact. The pattern's rhythm suggests the sequential nature of Carpentier's chronicles, which documented cultural events, personalities, and historical moments primarily from Paris between 1924 and 1939. As one of the star designers of the Cuban Book Institute, Martínez brought his pop art sensibilities and mastery of color theory to transform this literary collection into a visually arresting object. The design reflects the sophistication of Cuban publishing during the 1970s, when Editorial Arte y Literatura collaborated with leading visual artists to create books that were both intellectual achievements and aesthetic statements, embodying the cultural ambitions of revolutionary Cuba.