Bio Rui Gago
Artistic name
Dr. Apokalipse
Born in the Algarve - Portugal 1970
(1980 - 1990)
Begins representation in youth theater groups in the Algarve and Lisbon, joining several theatrical productions organized by the Portuguese Scouts
Connects with various environmental organizations related to renewable technologies and ecological movements, where he undertakes several radical expeditions as a guide for climbing, canoeing and survival techniques
Develops various activities related to artistic photography and illustration
Participates in the II Visual Arts Salon
He was an assistant in the group of Portuguese companies Preview and Archivision in the areas of International Exhibition Design, Museology and Industrial Archeology.
(1990 - 2000)
Attends higher education course in Arts and Design at Iade in Lisbon
Collaboration with the companies Antevisão and Arquivisão continued until 1999
He was part of the team responsible for the inauguration of the Lyceum Dr. Francisco Machado (Díli) delivered to Timor by the Lisbon City Council
He was a technical partner of the production company Eutaxia - Assessoria Cultural for five years in the field of tours, where he consolidated professional training in the following areas:
Scenic structures
Special effects
Scenography
Theatrical Pyrotechnics
Stage Rigging
Tournées Logistics
In addition to the technical component, he was also creative and graphic designer of the Lisbon Festivals from 1992 to 1996, produced by Eutaxia
He was a graphic designer for IFICT- Institute of Cultural and Theater Research and Research from 1991 to 1992
In 1994 he joined the multimedia team of Lisbon94-Capital of Culture in the Theater of Vanguarda department, working entirely for the 3rd time in an international production of La Fura Dels Baus
In 1996 he co-founded the production company Nirvana where he manages and designs large dozens of corporate events and theatrical multimedia happenings for the release of films and albums by Warner, Polygram, BMG, Sony, Universal, among others
In 1997 he is co-creator of the Digital Award of the Portuguese Phonographic Association
Co-produced for Portugal launch events for various productions, films and albums such as:
AC DC
Apokaliptica
green Day
Harry Potter
Madonna
Mike Oldfield
Phil Collins
Prince
REM
Seal
Stone Temple Pilots
The 3 Tenors
The Doors
Van Halen
Xutos & Kicks
4 Non Blondes
He is co-creator of the international platform Nirvana Roadshows that offers and manages dozens of exotic vehicles and roadshow trucks for tours of multinational corporates
(2000 - 2010)
In 2002 he co-founded the theater company Custom Circus, for which he designs the structures and multimedia riders of the shows:
The Wheel Saga (2002)
Custom Parade (2003)
At the production company Nirvana, he coordinates several shows for Euro2004, working with several companies.
In 2004 he signed an exclusive contract with Custom Circus as an actor, multimedia designer, technical manager and visual artist, coordinating the following shows for this company:
Full Moon (2004)
Custom Party (2004)
Theater on Wheels (2005)
Prisoners of the Blues (2006)
Fire Performers (2007)
Gigolo Dance (2008)
In the same period he is co-author of the following exhibitions, plastic and architectural works:
Raver (2004)
Apokalipse Bunker (2005)
Psygon Hot Rod (2005)
STRANGE Gallery (2006)
Band Box Corridors (2006 - 2008)
International Taxi (2008)
Biodiesel Blues (2009)
Wall of Fame (2010)
In 2004 he co-founded Nirvana Studios - The Alternative Cultural Center
At Nirvana Studios he is also a co-founder of the projects:
Band Box - Community of Musicians (2006)
Nirvana Boulevard - Collective of Artists (2007)
Art Express - Dynamic Installation of Performers (2008)
Manage the Nirvana Roadshows platform until 2010
(2010 - 2018)
He is co-founder of the following projects:
Teatro Custom Café (2012)
UR Project “Upcycling-Recycling” - Artistic Experimentation Installations (2014)
Steampunk Ateliers - Artisans Collectives (2015)
Custom Ville - Art residences in Upcycling bungalows (2017)
Nirvana Map Tour - Outdoor Gallery with Digital APP (2018)
At Custom Circus he is a multimedia designer and technical manager of the following shows:
Le Cabaret Rock (2012)
Bizarre Chic (2014)
The Journey (2015)
Absurdium (2017)
In the same period he is co-author of the following exhibitions, plastic and architectural works:
Custom Café “Imaginarium, Collection & Gallery” (2012)
Backstage Army Truck (2012)
Aunt Maria (2012)
Regie (2012)
Diner 1903 (2013)
On the Road Again (2013)
Raus Human Portico (2014)
Bus Stop (2014)
Cargo Station (2015)
Saga Truck (2015)
Make a Promise (2015)
Heirs of Apokalipse (2016)
Check Point (2016)
Rock Shop Gigolo Dance (2016)
Steampunk Corridors (2017)
World Unit 2072 (2018)
Just to mention this company, he participated as an actor in the Custom Circus in more than 800 shows
Other Facts:
15 months after Neil Armstrong happily hopped on the Moon, somewhere in the South Lusitano a star shone that would have attracted the Wise Men again but this time in a noisy caravan of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Legitimate fruit of an administrative lady and a gentleman officer of the Air Force, this future adventurer was born in the twilight Estado Novo Português. From his father, who died when he was only 3, he inherited an endless thirst for adventure and the notion that our planet is vast and fantastic.
Renaissance self-taught of everything that aroused his curiosity and with enormous teachings about Nature and rural life transmitted by the experience, in school holidays as a child he already helped his Grandparents in the family farm, at the farm and in a pension with restaurant where he realized early the future of the Algarve was to pluck tourists without mercy or mercy.
His adolescence was marked by action and by the risk he conciliated in a Zen way with the plastic arts, design and photography. He undertook several environmental campaigns and dedicated years of his life to promoting alternative and radical forms of life such as climbing, mountaineering, canoeing, adventure camping, the tourism cycle, survival techniques and Upcycling construction in wild or urban environments.
He was and is a traveler without borders, never a tourist but a participant observer whose Atlas has always been his Bible. He spread cells of his tanned skin on the 5 continents that he crossed from end to end and whose few places that escaped him are well marked in an old Steampunk notebook that he hides in a safe place.
As if he didn't arrive, he was also a Biker 1% on the Road Runners for 9 consecutive years. Take it out of an airplane, a boat, a truck, a rotten Peruvian train or even an Indian rickshaw with an uncertain destination, only if it is by force!
Or even just to dedicate to the restoration of classic vehicles or to create scary machinery and perform in Custom Circus.