The Problem of Identity

It seems that Lorna Simpson does what most artists do, which is send out a message to a specific audience about the problems, inconsistencies, stereotypes, etc. about a society or a community. But she tries to give the people that are "hidden" or "forgotten" a voice by taking calm, black and white photographs to portray the messages "substituting symbol for incident" (NY Times). For example in her picture of New York, you don't see the busy streets, or the violence, or the crazy all night parties that happen; no you get the sense of loneliness. Like some of you fellow classmates said, it gives off an eerie feeling/look, and it's almost weird looking at a calm, empty picture of New York City like that.
Lorna Simpson focused mostly on the issue of race; since she was African American she felt the oppression from the "white" world. "But by approaching race as a dynamic and changing experience rather than as a fixed state, it opened up options for art" (NY Times). Similar to Glenn Ligon, she was the generation that came after the Civil Rights movement, and times were changing, and still are changing to this day, but with her art, I feel like she it trying to tell the viewer that the negativity towards the "different" is still there, and possibly always will be. She doesn't know whether to feel sad, or powerful, but with her artwork she gives the "oppressed" some power and control because she doesn't show their face. "[Simpson's] imagery suggests we are conditioned to think in stereotypes" which I believe is unfortunately true, and she asks, "Does an African American have to be a superstar to have an identity or be accepted into society" (www.thecityreview.com).
Although, I'm not exactly sure, why Simpson doesn't show the models' faces to show that they have power. To me it's like she's saying the "minorities" will never get their full rights to have power, even over themselves. Could someone help me out with that?
But what I do like about Simpson's art is that she encompasses the past and the present, like in her film "Corridor." It's always good to know a bit about history before arguing for something in the present, or future.