The wild child \lctorla9s Secret supermodel has no secrets anymore
hen ex-Victoria's Secret model and Sports Illustrated swimsuit stunner May Andersen says she wants to meet us at a hip, contemporary art gallery in downtown Manhattan, we're admittedly a little wary. May's reputation is wild child Danish supermodel. Who knew she was a connoisseur? Should we hit the library first and brush up on our Klimt and Kippenberger?
As she guides us through the space, however, identifying and describing in detail each piece we pass, it's clear she knows what she's talking about. In fact, it turns out she works at the gallery full-time. As in "May Andersen is an assistant director at one of New York's most respected avant-garde galleries."
We have to ask, What the hell is she doing here?
By now May has arranged herself on a bench in front of a life-size Barry McGee sculpture of a graffiti artist perched precariously atop a trash can, mid-tag. Her black micro-miniskirt, snug angora sweater and vertically striped garter-belted stockings make it hard to maintain eye contact.
"Basically, I'm 29 now, which is old in model years, and around the time I started thinking about what I wanted to do next, this opportunity came up," she says softly,
her accent lending a singsong quality to the words. "After several years in the city, I'd gotten to know a lot of people in the art scene and felt it was something I should pursue. I started out as an intern here, and one year later I'm an assistant director. I'm really serious about it and so grateful and honored to be able to work with all these great artists. Not everyone gets to do that."
No, they certainly do not. In fact, it's quite an unexpected twist in an otherwise familiar fashion industry narrative. Discovered on the street in Copenhagen at the age of 13, May was shipped off at 15 to New York, where she rocketed to fashion stardom, hooked up with a string of Hollywood bons vivants, landed in the gossip columns and partied her proverbial pants off. Pictures of May in all manner of repose—looking incredible while making out nude with another female model and in various other situations—made their way across the globe via the net. Needless to say, a career as an art dealer wasn't likely in the cards.
"It probably sounds ridiculous, but it feels as if I've already had two lives," she says. "Everyone has their 20s or whatever age when they go through craziness. I just happened to be in a world that was very public. That's the only difference between me and everyone else. What can I say? It was bizarro world."
While the art world isn't exactly a paragon of propriety, at least she's getting to bed at a decent hour.
"I love the nerdiness of my job now. I love to go home with my textbook and sit there and drink tea. That's what I do now for fun," she says, and we almost believe her. "I'm really happy and just focusing on myself. This proves that anything is possible, and love changes everything. I'm so excited for what's ahead."
Remember, gents: It's never too late to start collecting.
¦usa-4,
J^
See more of May Andersen at club.playboy.com.
