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BOX=ART History
BOX=ART was a database website dedicated to acknowledging the artists who since the early 1970’s have been designing the art that adorns video game packaging. It was created in August 2013 and authored by Adam Gidney until its eventual shut down in January 2023. For almost a decade, BOX=ART championed the video game cover art medium, celebrating the artist’s and their works, as well as highlighting the medium’s history.
BOX=ART came to be after Adam holidayed in Japan in May 2013 and fell in love with Japanese box arts. Wanting to learn more about the artists but finding nowhere online dedicated to them and their creations, Adam setup BOX=ART to rectify this. It can be viewed as somewhat pioneering in its attempt to chronicle the video game box art medium, and likewise seen as a precursor to what OVGA presently achieves.
BOX=ART in its original form was more of a website designed to celebrate the art and the artist (much like how OVGA currently is). This focus, however, changed in August 2019 when the site was redesigned to function as more a reference site. This was achieved by splitting the site in two distinct areas, the INDEX and the DIRECTORY. The former profiled artists and other areas of interest, whilst the latter allowed for quick referencing a favourite cover art and their creator. Both areas were adorned with distinctive banners and a clean and creative design.
BOX=ART was also known for interviewing artists and chronicling their time in the business. These, along with much of what was written on BOX=ART has now been moved across to OVGA and preserved.