Gandhi's 1931 visit to London for the Second Round Table Conference was a pivotal moment in his struggle for Indian independence. Although this visit achieved little in terms of securing independence, he made use of his stay by reaching out to the working class of Britain. Wearing his khadi loincloth and carrying his walking stick, he presented a striking sight in Depression-era England.

Gandhi was strategic and intentional in the way he staged his photographs, presenting himself as a simple, everyday man who rejected the grandeur of colonial authority, while carrying immense power. These images communicated resistance and built a bridge of solidarity between India and Britain's working class, challenging traditional notions of authority within the colonial context.

Initially, my project aimed to critically engage with archival footage by recreating Gandhi's images in the spaces he visited-specifically Kingsley Hall, Friends House, and 10 Downing Street. However, my direction shifted after I was denied access to all of these spaces. As an Indian woman in my 20s, my presence was somehow perceived as a threat. This denial of access led me to reframe my approach, which is why I've titled this project Access Denied.

Instead of recreating Gandhi's photographs, I documented my own presence at these thresholds. Decades after Gandhi's visit, I stand at these same spaces with an iPhone and tripod, capturing images of absence and longing, highlighting the physical and symbolic barriers that persist.

Drawing from Ariella Aïsha Azoulay's concept of errata in retro-prospect, my work re-examines imperial violence and challenges the notion that history is fixed. Gandhi's rejection of power, embodied in his humble image, demonstrates that authority can still be wielded through simplicity. Through this project, I aim to reclaim archival imagery, creating a dialogue between past and present, and questioning who is allowed to occupy spaces of power today.