feathers

These feathers are to be found on the torso of what's for me a new Transatlantic Indian image - a Plains Indian in a fairly bellicose mood in Golden Square, Soho.  It's a sculpture by Josie Spencer, called Homage to Prisoners of War, and the feathers are both molting off the headdress, and, I guess, also potentially white feathers of cowardice, but I don't get much purchase on that as a potential reading.  I spent a stupidly long time trying to get a live pigeon or two to pose in suitable juxtaposition, but they weren't co-operating.  The lower feathers look decidedly ticklish ...