Philip Burke’s Smash Hit

🎸 Smash Hit
Artist: Philip Burke (with Frank V. Coppola, J. Lincoln III & Kevin Serwacki)
Sponsored by: Rolling Stone Magazine
Location: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Plaza

With snarling lips, wild eyes, and a busted string of nerves and bolts, Smash Hit isn’t just a sculpture—it’s a punk rock tantrum frozen in metal. Larger than life and totally unbothered by gravity, this Frankenstein Strat catapults itself out of the concrete like it’s just been dropped from a Led Zeppelin finale.

A glorious collaboration between legendary caricature artist Philip Burke and metal sculptor Frank V. Coppola, this behemoth guitar perfectly reflects the spirit of Rolling Stone Magazine—loud, opinionated, and ready to break the mold (and maybe your amp).

Standing boldly before the Rock Hall like it owns the place, this is no gentle tribute—it’s a power chord to the face.

🎸 Rock City

Artist: Hector Vega
Sponsor: Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland
Location: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Plaza, Downtown Cleveland

Bursting with vibrant color, architectural motifs, and unmistakable Cleveland spirit, Rock City is a celebration of the city’s neighborhoods, landmarks, and rising cultural identity. Created by acclaimed artist Hector Vega, the guitar is a visual love letter to the city that birthed rock and roll—and continues to reinvent itself.

Sponsored by the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland, the piece reflects the city's growth as a destination for travel, tourism, and the arts. From domes to smokestacks, skylines to cultural buildings, Vega’s signature cubist montage style turns the guitar into a stained-glass-like mural of a city on the move.

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Cleveland, Hector Vega is a self-taught artist known for his community-based public art and large-scale murals. His work emphasizes diversity, urban pride, and social connectivity—qualities reflected in this energetic, multi-faceted sculpture.

Standing in front of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Rock City isn’t just a tribute to music—it’s a mirror of Cleveland’s heartbeat.

Reach for the Stars

Artist: Hector Vega
Sponsor: Fifth Third Bank
Location: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Plaza, Downtown Cleveland

A colorful burst of Cleveland’s dreams and determination, Reach for the Stars is a bold tribute to the city’s neighborhoods, people, and potential. Created by celebrated local artist Hector Vega, the guitar’s mosaic-style design features diverse communities, iconic landmarks, and a figure stretching skyward—symbolizing the city’s continual striving for excellence.

Sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, this sculpture reflects their belief in community investment as a path to growth. Their message is clear: when neighborhoods thrive, so do businesses—and together, we all reach higher.

Vega, honored as Cleveland’s “Hispanic of the Year,” is known for his work in public art, fundraising, and social engagement. His upcoming gallery and café concept, Artefino, housed in the Tower Press Building, combines fine art with community gathering—mirroring the inclusive, energetic spirit captured in this guitar.

Placed beside the iconic Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Reach for the Stars encourages everyone to aim high, build together, and believe in the power of art to elevate.