A new artshow opening tonight at the Bermuda Society of Arts Gallery (BSOA) explores Bermuda's special magnetism.

The artist, Edith Binah Zivi is relatively new to Bermuda, having lived here with her husband Simon Zivi for only a year. They are Swiss, and the show at the City Hall art gallery is entitled 'The Swiss Bermuda Connection'.

"The most interesting thing about Bermuda, is the magnetic field of Bermuda and its impact on humanity," she said. "I feel there are sinners good and bad all over the world. That is not the issue. My work is about what is causing the magnetic field. I believe this field makes people do what they want to do, or not want to do."

She said by "magnetism" she meant something deeper than something like Bermuda Triangle magnetism.

"It is about something more deep and profound," she said. "Bermuda is famous for its beautiful sands. It is adorable. It is fantastic as an island."

Mrs. Zivi said she was drawn here by Bermuda's beauty. "The love of such a beautiful island has brought me here," said Mrs. Zivi.

Mrs. Zivi brought a pile of fresh canvas and materials when she moved to Bermuda, preparing herself to be inspired.

"I love to create and paint and construct things," she said. "I am an all-rounder. I do abstract paintings, but I also paint portraits."

Her paintings show a range of international influences and she is particularly interested in Native American culture.

"I had such a strong connection to Native American people," she said. "It is a little bit crazy. They invited me to have a ceremony with them and I went there (to the United States) for ten days." She said the experience was powerful.

"Then I had to go back to Switzerland and had to pack my suitcases to go to Turkey," she said. "God has splashed me around the world. After living in Turkey I spent two years in England. Then from there I went to Mexico for five years, then back to Switzerland for five years."

Mrs. Zivi said there is a deep spiritual and mystical message in her work. "The message is only 'heal and be healed'," she said.

This will be Mrs. Zivi's second show in Bermuda. She had a show at the Dockyard Arts Centre when she first arrived in Bermuda.

"For that show, I arrived fully stressed and I had only two Native American portraits to show," she said.

She is known for painting very large canvases. For the upcoming show at BSOA, many of her canvases could not be hung because of their size and instead were stood up. "The bigger the better."

She is also a musician. She plays the trumpet and the Swiss Alphorn.

The Swiss-Bermuda Connection is on at the BSOA from June 11 to 25. Opening night is tonight from 7 p.m.