walls showcase paintings

13:22 Sep 18, 2010 

in her peer comment to JdM's answer: this is an awkward usage of 'showcase'.

Of course, 'to showcase' is a common-enough verbal usage (and I'm sure that's not what Barbara is unhappy about) — but we would usually say something like "This year, the XYZ film festival is showcasing talent from South Korea", where 'film festival' has the nature of a body; but it is much more awkward when the subject of the verb is such an inanimate object as 'walls'; I would rather read: "the walls are used to showcase works by new artists"; however, I can see how they got to where they did, because they are listing the various decorative features as the subjects of their respective verbs (to be, to blend).

22:53 Sep 16, 2010 

I've been here for years but never used the option much.

22:40 Sep 16, 2010 

Once you've posted an answer, the 'reference comment' box is no longer accessible; you can, of course, always post additional reference information as an added note under your own answer.

22:31 Sep 16, 2010 

I don't know why I'm not seeing the "post a reference" option but here is Merriam Webster's definition for the use of showcase. It is listed as a noun but is also used as a verb.
1: a glazed case, box, or cabinet for displaying and protecting wares in a store or articles in a museum
2: a setting, occasion, or medium for exhibiting something or someone ***especially in an attractive or favorable aspect***

22:29 Sep 16, 2010 

You're right, the fact it's a restaurant affects the context.

20:16 Sep 16, 2010 

Note that this word is often used to indicate that the restaurant gets free loan of original works of art, in return for hanging them with a little price tag on them, i.e. inviting people to buy them. It's a "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" kind of arrangement that is quite popular — free quality decorations for the restaurant, and free exhibition space for the artists to publicize and hopefully sell their works.