David Prifti

Born in Worcester, MA. Received an M.F.A. from Yale University School of Art, New Haven, CT, and a B.F.A. from Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA . Lives and works in Concord, MA .
Recent solo exhibitions at Gallery NAGA, Boston, MA; and Brodigan Gallery, Groton, MA .
Participated in group exhibitions at Concord Art Association, Concord, MA ; Centro Cultural Costarricense-Norteamericano, San Jose , Costa Rica ; DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park , Lincoln , MA ; Photographic Resource Center , Boston , MA ; and Rice/Polak Gallery, Provincetown , MA .
David Prifti captures modern subjects in a historic medium. The wet plate collodion process was popular during the second half of the nineteenth-century when many people carried tintypes of their loved ones in lockets or small portable frames. Although Prifti’s images are much larger than the traditional tintypes, they retain the feeling of treasured objects. Other benefits of this difficult process are the smooth printing surface, which results in virtually grainless images containing a wide range of creamy silver tones. The long exposure times require great concentration from both artist and subject, producing psychologically charged images. The imperfections that often occur on the edges of the plates only add to their precious quality and mediate the intensity of the images.

Many of Prifti’s subjects are his teenage photography students. He has also photographed a community of people who alter their bodies in painful ways and gather to suspend themselves from their piercings. The portraits are difficult to look at, yet Prifti’s caring eye captures elegant compositions, and the medium with its glowing, velvety tones won’t let you turn away.