Gianfranco Poddighe, born in Sassari in 1945, is an Italian painter and sculptor, one of the most representative figures of contemporary Sardinia. His artistic research, developed over a long career, is deeply rooted in the island's culture and mythology, reinterpreted through a modern and universal language. His works, characterized by a powerful style and intense Mediterranean colors, explore a dreamlike and symbolic vision of Sardinian identity. Recurring subjects, such as stylized horses, Nuragic warriors, ritual masks, and archaic figures, become archetypes of an ancestral memory. He has exhibited his creations in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Italy and abroad, also creating important public works that have left their mark on the urban landscape. For his significant contribution to culture and art, he has received prestigious awards, most notably the Premio Navicella Sardegna, granted for his ability to project Sardinian identity onto an international stage.