Art influencer Hilde Lynn Helphenstein, known online as Jerry Gogosian, has reportedly died after undergoing cosmetic surgery in Brazil, according to multiple media outlets. She was 40.
Helphenstein was found dead inside her hotel room at the Rosewood São Paulo, where she was recovering from her surgery, on Sunday, May 31, the New York Post reported. Her body was reportedly discovered by her plastic surgeon after she stopped answering her phone. The content creator was allegedly surrounded by an empty vodka bottle, a broken glass and unidentified pills, according to police.
“The Rosewood São Paulo confirms that guest Hilde Ann Lynn was found deceased on the afternoon of Sunday, May 31,” the hotel said in a statement. “Since the incident became known, the hotel has been fully cooperating with the relevant authorities, promptly providing all requested information to assist in the investigation of the facts.”
The night before her death, Helphenstein was reported for making “intimate demonstrations in public that evolved into a situation of partial exposure of the body, causing embarrassment to other guests,” according to a complaint against her and her friends obtained by local outlet Globo.
The surgeon allegedly told authorities that he previously took Helphenstein to a hospital after a possible overdose, claiming that she had been using substances during her three-week stay in Brazil.
Police are investigating Helphenstein’s death as suspicious, according to the NY Post.
Helphenstein, often referred to as the “Gossip Girl of art,” has amassed 156,000 followers on Instagram for her videos criticizing the rich and powerful members of the art community.
Helphenstein’s final video, posted the night before she was found dead, sparked concern among her fans, as the Oakland, California, native slurred her words while sitting inside a busy bar or restaurant.
“Let the rich woman inside you fly,” she told her followers. “I think it’s very healthy for the psyche. You know, they say, don’t dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want. I also just want to look at the ocean and worry about my husband going to prison for tax crimes.”
Prior to her social media stardom, Helphenstein worked in art galleries in New York and ran her own gallery in Los Angeles. She told Avenue magazine last year that she started her Jerry Gogosian page because she became tired of the art world’s focus on money, status and power.
“The art market attracts people for horrible reasons,” she told the outlet.
Helphenstein also took a 51-day break from social media last year after suffering from emotional exhaustion.
