Bio
Michel Alex
Stage Name
MICHEL GIGOLO
Born in Paris - France (1970)
(2000 - PRESENT DATE)
CULTURAL VENUES
He's one of the three co-founders of the following venues:
Nirvana Studios
The Alternative Cultural Center
(since 2004)
Band Boxes
Customised rehersal studios
(since 2006)
Black Box
360º transdisciplinary studio
(2004-2006)
The Black Box project evolved as the STRANGE Gallery
STRANGE Gallery
Multipurpose Exhibit Venue
(since 2006)
Artexpress
Import & Export of arts
(since 2008)
Custom Café Theater
Le Cabaret Rock
(since 2012)
Diner 1903
Bohemian Stage & Diner
(since 2013)
Project UR "Upcycle-Recycle"
Artistic Experimentation Studios
(since 2014)
Steampunk Ateliers
Artisanship Collectives
(since 2017)
Custom Ville
Residencies for Artists & Students
(since 2017)
INSTITUTIONS
Arts General Council / Direcção Geral das Artes (Portugal)
In 2021, his mise en scéne for the "Going Crazy" show, co-directed with Custom Circus, won the acceptance of the portuguese DGA - Ministry of Culture
Erasmus
In 2021, by invitation from KASAPT and Maison de l'Europe, he became an Erasmus + tutor for the following courses fields: Arts, Culture, Shows, Events, Contents and Entertainment.
Representing until now countries like France, Germany, Nederlands, Portugal and Spain,
Innovate World
In 2021 his long term membership within the Custom Circus company was awarded by the innovating and entrepeneurship international platform "Innovate World"
ERIH - European Route of Industrial Heritage
In 2019 his long term contribution for Nirvana Studios development, granted for that same project the ERIH oficial membership
National Museums Network - RNM (Rede Nacional de Museus - Portugal)
In 2018 within the visual arts fields, his co-artistic relationship with Custom Circus integrated the oficial national circuit of the prestigious RNM. whitch enabled them towards the celebration of protocols with important museums, such as the Museu Nacional dos Coches and the Museu nacional Ferroviário.
Oeiras Valley
Since 2015 the two cultural entities he co-founded (Custom Circus and Nirvana Studios) have been affiliated to the City Hall Cultural Council of Oeiras Municipality..
Ministry of Culture - Portugal
Since 2006 he has been an internship's active tutor for several academic institutions in the cultural fields related courses, working for: Escola Superior de Turismo do Estoril; Instituto Superior Técnico; ETIC; Restart, Vale do Rio and several professional schools in the metropolitan Lisbon area.
ARTISTIC or CONCEPTUAL GROUPS and ORGANIZATIONS
He's one of the three co founders of the following projects:
Custom Circus
Transdisciplinary Theater Company and Visual Arts
(since 2002)
Band Box
Musicians Community
(since 2006)
Nirvana Boulevard
Artists Collective, Producers and Entertainment Technicians
(since 2007)
He's the consultant of Escola Flamenca Alejandra Gutkin (escolaflamenca.com)
(since 2006)
He's one of the STRANGE Gallery curators, which harbors several touring projects and creators from around the world
(since 2006)
He's co founder and coordinator of the Wild in the Photo movement, a conceptual photographic manifesto in process
(since 2019)
THEATER DIRECTION
Worked at Nivana Productions since 1996 as a méteur en scéne designing exclusive shows for international corporates, working with several artistic companies. He closes this cycle after designing also oficial events for intensive periods like the Expo 98 and the Euro 2004, At the end of 2004 he signs exclusivity with Custom Circus, directing the following shows for this company:
A Saga da Roda (The Wheel Saga)
(2002)
Custom Parade
(2003)
Lua Cheia (Full Moon)
(2004-2006)
Custom Party
(2004-2010)
Teatro Sobre Rodas (Theater on Wheels)
(2005-2008)
Prisioneiros do Blues (Prisoners of the Blues)
(2006-2008)
Performers do Fogo (Fire Performers)
(2007-2012)
Gigolo Dance
(2008-2012)
Le Cabaret Rock
(2012-2014)
Bizarre Chic
(2014-2015)
A Viagem (The Journey)
(2015-2017)
Herdeiros do Apokalipse - Apokalipse Heirs
Time Capsule
(2016-2021)
Absurdium
(2017-2020)
Loco'motive
(2020-2021)
Going Crazy
(2021)
Enygma Oeiras
(2021)
ACTING and PERFORMANCE
As an actor and musician he surpassed well over two thousand hours on stage with more than one thousand shows for Custom Circus alone, embodying his multipolar character Michel Gigolo, which shelters in it's madness other characters like Tralala Millionaire, 1ManBlues, among others.
The major part of this path is narrated on his novel "A Fantástica Maldição Gutkin"
Publisher Edições: Verbi Gratia 2020
VISUAL ARTS
He's one of the three co-authors of the following work:
Band Box Corridors , Nº01, Nº02, Nº03 - Rock Art
(2006, 2008, 2009)
Artexpress Mural - Wall of Fame
(2010)
Custom Café Theater - Collection & Gallery
(2012)
Herdeiros do Apokalipse - Roadshow Exhibition
(since 2016)
Steampunk Corridors
(2017)
Octopus - Cybernetic Contraption
(2017)
Nirvana Studios Tour - Outdoor & Digital Gallery
(since 2018)
Mund Unid - Exhibition
(2018)
Absurdium - Exhibition
(2019)
Limbus Infinitus - 1.0 and 2.0 versions
(2020)
Loco´motive - Performative Instalation
(since 2020)
The Paradoxal Collection - Tour
(since 2020)
Atland Monowheel
Museu Nacional dos Coches (colecção residente)
(since 2021)
Saga Truck
Museu Nacional Ferroviário - Entroncamento (colecção residente)
Art Collection available at www.customcircus.com/art
*Also check "Scenographic Instalations" and "Conceptual & Upcycling Architecture"
LITERATURE
Signs the authorship of the following books:
"A Saga da Roda"
(1988, 2004, 2019) Editorial Divergência
"Herdeiros do Apokalipse"
(2016) Edições do Pelouro da Cultura da Câmara Municipal de Oeiras.
"Mekanon"
Winner of the great prize Adamastor (2021)
(2006, 2019) Editorial Divergência
"Raus Human"
Linked to the genesis of Nirvana Studios thru ERIH - European Route of Industrial Heritage
(2012, 2019) Editorial Divergência
"A Fantástica Maldição Gutkin"
With the IFICT curatorship - Instituto de Formação, Investigação Cultural e Teatral
(2020) Edições Verbi Gratia
"Wagon Village"
Affiliated with the FMNF - Fundação do Museu Nacional Ferroviário
(2020) by Editorial Divergência
"Enygma Oeiras"
With an oficial preface from the Fundação Marquês de Pombal
(2021) by Editorial Divergência
Collaborations on other books:
"Nirvana Studios Tour Ebook "
(2015) www.nirvana.pt/mapa
"Adolfo Gutkin, A Utopia Multicultural e Rebelde"
(2019) Edições Giostro - Brasil
"Almanaque Steampunk"
(2019) under his alter ego Michel Gigolo. Editorial Divergência
MUSIC
Records the following original soundtracks albums with the Custom Circus band in the same years of the related shows:
Custom Circus
(2006)
Gigolo Dance
(2008)
Le Cabaret Rock
(2012)
Bizarre Chic
(2014)
Absurdium
(2017)
Diesel Punk
(2020)
Les Voyages de L'emotion
(2021)
Discography and credits available at www.customcircus.com/music
*CONCEPTUAL and UPCYCLING ARCHITECTURE
He's one of the three creators of these projects:
Nirvana Studios
Global project of the architectural, scenery and thematic aesthetics for the Alternative Cultural Center
(since 2004)
Band Boxes Studios
(since 2006)
STRANGE Gallery
(since 2006)
Art Express
Dynamic Containers Studios for Performers
(since 2008)
Custom Café Theater
Le Cabaret Rock
(since 2012)
Diner 1903
(since 2013)
Raus Human
Portico
(2014)
Projecto UR
"Upcycle-Recycle"
(since 2014)
Check Point
(since 2016)
Gigolo Dance
Rockshop
(since 2016)
Custom Ville
Residencies for Artists and Students
(since 2017)
EVENTS and CULTURAL PLATFORMS
He's co founder of these projects:
Festival Nirvana Studios - Open Day
(since 2004)
OBS - Oeiras Band Sessions
(since 2009)
Oeiras Fora da Caixa
Cultural Online News Channel
(since 2017)
*PERMANENT SCENOGRAPHIC INSTALLATIONS*
Apokalipse Bunker
(2006)
International Taxi
(2008)
Biodiesel Blues
(2009)
Guarita Nº01
(2011)
Backstage Army Truck
(2012)
Tia Maria
(2012)
Regie
(2012)
On the Road Again
(2013)
Bus Stop
(2014)
Cargo Station
(2015)
Guarita Nº02
(2020)
Loco'motive
A post apocaliptic performative artistic set based on a 99 tons, 1904 locomotive
(2020))
Other installations can be seen at www.nirvana.pt/mapa
*MOBILE SCENOGRAPHIC INSTALLATIONS
Arena Lua Cheia - Full Moon Arena
(2004-2008)
Airstream Caravans Nº01, Nº02, Nº03, Nº04, Nº05
(2004-2006-2010-2019-2020)
Raver Trucks Nº01, Nº2
(2004-2008)
Mad Cars Nº01, Nº02, Nº03, Nº04, Nº05
(2004-2008)
Psygon Hot Rod
(2005)
Classic Trucks Electric Trios Nº01, Nº02, Nº03, Nº04
(2005-2010)
Old Buses Nº01, Nº02, Nº03
(2005-2010)
Make a Promise
(2015)
Saga's Truck
(2015)
Viking Dieselpunk
(2019)
Freedoom
(2019)
More Scenographic Instalations can be seen at www.customcircus.com/art
(1990 – 2000)
Features in some comercial videos
In Lisbon attends Law course at Faculdade Moderna with two interruptions between 1990 to 1993, one due to the call by the French Army during the Gulf War which he declined prefering servicing 9 months in the Portuguese Army allowed by his second citizenship; and the definitive other due to his passion for performative arts
Was assistant at IFICT- Instituto de Formação e Investigação Cultural e Teatral (Theatral and Cultural Institute of Training and Investigation) from 1991 to 1992 and a Pyrotechnic FX freelancer roadie on several tours such as U2 and Dire Straits within the same period.
Also in 1992, invited by the Argentine director Adolfo Gutkin, he would be again in contact with the Archaos company but this time as a scout for Eutaxia - Assessoria Cultural for the Italy-Spain-Portugal Archaos tour, but due to that French company's demise in the same year, the tour was canceled and he joined the same Eutaxia's production structure for the tours of Spanish companies La Fura Dels Baus and Els Comediants
As an assistent and ad hoc disciple, his professional relationship with the director and meteur en scéne Adolfo Gutkin spaned from 1992 to 1999 as a member of the artistic production teams for over one hundred shows from the following companies:
Ana La China (ES)
Argentinian National Company
Arturo Toscanini (IT)
Ballet Bolshoi (RUS)
Bederen Bat (ES)
Beijin Opera (CHN)
Brunchu (ES)
Bulgarian National Opera
Chick Corea (USA)
Christophe Berthonneau (FR)
Companhia IFICT (PT)
Els Comediants (ES)
Gelabert Azzopardi (ES)
Groupe F (FR)
Guirigai (ES)
Jacka Maré Spino (FR)
Jêrome Deschamps (FR)
Karmen Larumbe (ARG)
Kiev's Ópera (RUS)
Kirov's Ballet (RUS)
La Fura Dels Baus (ES)
La Cuadra de Sevilla (ES)
Marcel Marceau (FR)
Marimbondo (PT)
Michael Nyman (UK)
Minsk Ballet (RUS)
Mummenschanz (CH)
National Chinese Circus
Olissipo (PT)
Pirotecnia Minhota (PT)
Pirotecnia Oleirense (PT)
Plan K (BE)
Plasticiens Volants (FR)
Pupi & Fresedde (IT)
Russian Cossacks (RUS)
Semola Teatre (ES)
Ta Fantastika (CZ)
Tarbes Orchestra (FR)
Teatro do Ornitorrinco (BR)
Theatre du Mouvement (FR)
Titanic (FR)
Transe Express (FR)
Tricicle (ES)
Turbo Unit (UK)
UR Teatre (ES)
Vol Ras (ES)
Xarxa (ES)
XPTO Company (BR)
Zyriab (ES)
In 1994 he’s a member of the artistic production team for Lisboa'94-Capital of Culture in the avant guarde theater department, also colaborating with Eutaxia-Assessoria Cultural.
In 1996 he co-founds Nirvana Productions where he starts his theater direction carreer, mostly aimed for international corporative events and multimedia happenings for movies and music record launches, from studios such as Polygram, BMG, Sony, Warner, Universal among others.
In Nirvana Productions and Eutaxia (just in 1996 edition) he co-creates and co-produces at former Aquaparque do Restelo, the two editions of GML-Grande Meeting de Lisboa 1996 and 1997, which was the first Portuguese event dedicated to the whole Road Culture, its arts and emerging subcultures.
In 1997 he’s co-author of the Portuguese Phonographic Association’s Digital Award
During Expo98 Lisbon he’s field artistic manager in the areas of Outdoor Theater and Performances, colaborating also with Eutaxia-Assessoria Cultural
(1980 - 1990)
Starts juvenile acting in Paris at the théatre Amateur de la colonie Porte de Versailles and later on attends within summer camps workshops of multidisciplinary performance, nouveau cirque and visual arts with the street artists of Le Centre Pompidou and the Colonie d’Issy les Moulineaux, where one of the monitors who belongued to the Archaos troupe took him to entourages of other companies for some set ups in Paris.
Learns piano and Blues harmonica and plays in underground garage bands
In high school attends Art, Design and Sports courses on and off between France and Portugal
Very influenced by industrial post punk, French interventive and avant guarde theater and nouveau cirque which explodes in that period, he writes the novel A Saga da Roda (The Wheel Saga) in 1988, which would later be in the origin of Custom Circus
Was one of the assistants of the Portuguese sculptor Luis Valadares from 1989 to 1990
OTHER FACTS
Conceived in 1970 by existentialist parents and a hippie big sister as spiritual guide, he lived a Tom Sawyer free childhood divided between the Seine waterfront and the Estoril coast. Thanks to its parent’s job at hotel events and Paris theaters, he was an adorable child imposing on ocasion his annoying presence to such artists as Bob Dylan, Elizabeth Taylor or Salvador Dali.
With the family also belonging to the opening night claques of mythical theaters like Moulin Rouge, Olympia, Folies Bergeres, Crazy Horse, Calcutá, Lido, L’ópera e Le Chatelet, he also grew up surrounded by scenery, projectors, young ballerinas and decadent musicians. Through an adolescence connected to the 1980’s underground his many influences were dangerous cocktails of Cabaret, Punk, Goth, Blues, Psychobilly, Archaos anarchic shows, Russian Theater and Hells Angels parties in a condensate of Edith Piaf, Ramones, Joy Division, Muddy Waters, Cramps, Mad Max, Easy Rider and Stanislavsky.
Constantly defied and tormented by a restless soul he also experienced, outside show business, several professions and life styles, being an entrepreneur, artisanship, translator, fairground vendor, antiquarian, advertiser, sailor, trucker, activist, free surfer and conciliated an alternative life as a 1% biker in the Road Runners from 1994 to 2002, the year he also became a father and his responsability broaden to more directions.