Hilde Lynn Helphenstein, Jerry Gogosian Satirist, Found Dead in São Paulo
Hilde Lynn Helphenstein, the art-world satirist behind the Instagram meme account Jerry Gogosian, was found dead at the Rosewood São Paulo, Brazilian media reported, and the hotel confirmed it is cooperating with authorities; she was 40. According to a police report cited by Veja São Paulo, hotel staff entered her room after a plastic surgeon—whom she was visiting during a three-week trip for a cosmetic procedure—could not reach her and found her unconscious in bed. Helphenstein launched Jerry Gogosian in 2018 while recovering from an illness, and her identity was confirmed two years later by Artnet News columnist Kenny Schachter; she later earned an MBA, curated a Sotheby’s show, and hosted the podcast Art Smack. She had announced plans last summer to sunset the Jerry Gogosian account, and her most recent post, three days before her death, addressed her 145,000 followers; United Talent Agency began representing her in February 2024.
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This story was covered in Market Highs, Museum Blowback, and Techno-Dystopias