The Quest for art

By Producer Christian Mahne for CNN

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(CNN) -- This month, Richard is on a quest to discover what it takes to create a modern masterpiece, and he gets a few tips about art appreciation from some experts in the business.

He's on the trail of the blockbusters, catching up with English-born artist David Hockney at the opening of his portrait retrospective in London. As a major contributor to the British Pop Art movement of the 1960s, Hockney is considered one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. So, what does it take to crack the big time? Is mere talent enough? Hockney sets Richard on his way, guiding him through the treacherous waters of artists, critics, curators, galleries and auction houses.

Richard then tries his hand at making a modern masterpiece under the watchful eye of popular art icon Rolf Harris. Born in Australia, Harris has spent most of his life in the United Kingdom and has been a fixture of the popular art scene for decades. From television cartoonist -- where he introduced generations of children to art -- to painting a portrait of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II last December to mark her 80th birthday. With his catchphrase, "Do you know what it is yet?" Rolf shows Richard how to turn his CNN publicity shot into an impressionist masterpiece.

If it is that simple to paint, is the finished product actually worth any money? Next stop on our Quest for Art is a trip to world famous auction house Sotheby's in London for a fascinating look behind the scenes at a major auction. From the pre-auction rituals to the slam of the gavel, Richard finds himself within arm's distance of a valuable Cezanne painting, but can he find anything that is more within his budget?

Following his trip to Sotheby's, Richard decides it is time to widen his appreciation of art. Fortunately, two of the best are on hand to help him discover his inner aficionado. British art critic Brian Sewell takes Richard on a tour of the National Gallery in London. From Caravaggio to van Dyck, the pictures come alive under Sewell's expert tutelage.

South African-born British art expert Sister Wendy Beckett became an unlikely celebrity during the 1990s, presenting a series of acclaimed art history documentaries on British television. Ahead of her return to television, she tells Richard about her passion for the creative force behind the canvas.

Richard then decides it is time to take on the establishment. Some fixtures in the art world have a reputation for being inaccessible and exclusive, polarizing the public about who benefits from what the "establishment" defines as art. Richard is on a mission to bust a few myths. He talks to Vicente Todoli -- the curator of London's Tate Modern Gallery -- about this year's prestigious Turner Prize. Todoli tries to win Richard over about the merits of the modern movement.

One group unlikely to be convinced is the Stuckists, whose members are implacably opposed to anything "establishment" -- and the controversial Turner Prize is at the top of their hit list.

Which group manages to convince Richard they are right? Who has the most powerful argument?

Perhaps famed sculptor Grayson Perry, himself a Turner Prize winner in 2003, can provide some middle ground. Whatever you make of his work, the man who calls himself "transvestite potter from Essex" is an engaging and authoritative guide through the maelstrom of modern art.

And finally, to a corner of rural England to meet a man who was sent to jail for forging some of the biggest names in art. John Myatt, now reformed, runs a highly successful business creating "genuine fakes."

With teachers like these, does Richard have what it takes to make it on the art scene?

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