Artist Hilde Lynn Helphenstein Dead in São Paulo Hotel

Hilde Lynn Helphenstein, the artist and social media satirist known to the art world as Jerry Gogosian, was found dead in a luxury hotel in São Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday, May 31. She was 40 years old.

According to local reports and a statement from the Rosewood São Paulo hotel, Helphenstein was discovered unresponsive in her room on Sunday afternoon. The hotel confirmed it is cooperating fully with authorities. Brazilian police have registered the case as a suspicious death and an investigation is ongoing. The official cause of death has not been released.

Reports indicate a plastic surgeon who had been treating Helphenstein went to the hotel after being unable to reach her by phone. Hotel staff entered the room and found her unconscious on the bed. Some reports note an empty vodka bottle, a broken glass, and unidentified pills were found nearby. The surgeon also informed authorities he had previously taken her to an emergency care unit for a potential overdose during her stay. Helphenstein had been in São Paulo for approximately three weeks recovering from a cosmetic procedure.

Helphenstein rose to prominence in 2018 with her anonymous Instagram account, Jerry Gogosian, a...