Yoko Ono’s Secret Piece III takes shape at the Laing Art Gallery. © Tyne and Wear Museums

“Put a photo of someone you love onto the canvas. Write a love message to someone you love onto the canvas. y.o.”

These are the instructions from Yoko Ono to visitors to the Laing Art Gallery, who are being given the rare opportunity to contribute to a new work by the artist.

Secret Piece III is being constructed from the photographs and messages to loved ones which people add to a canvas in the Laing Art Gallery. People are invited to visit the gallery until July 13 2008 to add a photo of a loved one or a note to a loved one to the canvas.

A visitor at the Laing Art Gallery adds to the Yoko Ono artwork. © Tyne and Wear Museums

“This is a very exciting opportunity for people to help with the creation of a new artwork in the most personal way – by contributing a note or a photo of someone they love," said Laing Art Gallery curator Julie Milne. “The canvases will be sent to Yoko Ono at the end of the exhibition in July.”

Yoko Ono’s artwork forms a part of Love, the National Gallery touring exhibition which is on show at the Laing Art Gallery until July 13 2008. The exhibition also features work by Tracey Emin, David Hockney, Johannes Vermeer and Marc Chagall and explores how artists have responded to the pains and pleasures of love.

The Laing’s Marble Hall is also currently home to Marc Quinn’s spectacular sculpture, Kiss.