The documentary, directed by award-winning filmmaker Nathan Willis, follows the journey of both statues, from concept to completion, and explores the enduring legacies of civil rights activist and journalist Daisy Bates and country music icon Johnny Cash. It also provides a behind-the-scenes look at the artists, including Kresse and sculptor Benjamin Victor, as they brought these historic figures to life in bronze.

鈥溾�楿nveiled鈥� explores the profound impact of Daisy Bates and Johnny Cash on the history of our great state and the nation,鈥� Arkansas PBS Executive Director and CEO Courtney Pledger said. 鈥淔rom their humble beginnings to their lasting influence, their statues stand as a tribute to the pivotal roles they played in shaping American culture and society.鈥�

For Kresse, the premiere of the documentary is a chance for Arkansans to see the dedication and collaboration that went into making the statues a reality.

鈥淭hese statues belong to the people of Arkansas, so I鈥檓 glad they鈥檒l get a peek behind the curtain on everything it took to bring them to fruition,鈥� said Kresse, who was honored as 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in February. 鈥淎 lot of people put time and effort into helping create these pieces鈥攆rom the search committee, the steering committee, the Secretary of State鈥檚 office, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, the foundry, and even the families of Daisy Bates and Johnny Cash. It was a true collective effort.鈥�

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock played a special role in the creative process, hosting Kresse and Victor at the Windgate Center of Art + Design, where they worked on their sculptures for a week. The public was invited to witness the artists at work, interact with them, and experience firsthand the meticulous effort involved in crafting the statues.

鈥淗aving Kevin Kresse and Benjamin Victor work on these statues at the Windgate Center of Art + Design gave people a chance to see the artistic process up close,鈥� said Joli Livaudais, interim director of the School of Art and Design. 鈥淲atching the sculptures take shape in real time made the history behind them feel more tangible and personal. The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock School of Art and Design was proud to host the artists. It gave our students the opportunity to engage with this important moment in Arkansas history.鈥�

Kresse expressed excitement about seeing the film鈥檚 final cut, praising Willis for his storytelling abilities.

鈥淚 saw several short clips of the documentary during the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival this past fall,鈥� Kresse said. 鈥淣athan Willis is an extremely talented and sensitive storyteller, and I was extremely impressed with what I鈥檝e seen so far. I鈥檓 also interested in seeing how he weaves together a single film about these two separate Arkansas icons.鈥�

Creating the Johnny Cash statue was a career highlight for Kresse, who acknowledged the challenge of sculpting such an iconic figure.

鈥淚 feel very fortunate that all the reactions I鈥檝e seen or heard about the Johnny Cash piece have been extremely positive,鈥� he said. 鈥淪culpting someone whose likeness and personality are so well known is a precarious position to be in. I put a lot of time and effort into it and felt proud of the final result, but you never know how people will react. It鈥檚 been very gratifying to receive such positive feedback.鈥�

The Johnny Cash statue, cast at The Crucible in Oklahoma, depicts the musician in a contemplative stance, gripping his guitar strap and a Bible. It was unveiled in the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 24, 2024.

In addition to the film鈥檚 premiere, Kresse shared that he is currently working with the Cash estate on a series of reproductions of the statue.

鈥淭his will be the first time I鈥檝e done reproductions,鈥� Kresse said. 鈥淚鈥檓 working on a small resin version of the statue as well as different bronze versions, including smaller full-figure statues and a bust taken from the original sculpture.鈥�

A free, advance screening of 鈥�Unveiled鈥� will be held in March, with additional details available at. Arkansas PBS will also release a series of digital shorts on Facebook and Instagram leading up to the March 20 premiere, which can be shown on Arkansas PBS, at , and in the .

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