Final answer:
The student should complete the third set of blocks in a manner that reflects the principles of Cubism, utilizing geometric abstraction to depict the subject through a series of deconstructed geometric shapes arranged to challenge the viewer's perspective.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is tasked with completing a column with a set of blocks that illustrate the surface after being thrown up, using different modes of representation: abstract shapes, geometric patterns, landscape elements, and figurative representations. Considering the context provided, the question relates to the principles of Cubism, which is a form of art that breaks down subjects into geometric shapes and abstract patterns.
Cubism involved the geometric abstraction of objects, moving away from traditional representational art to a flattened, two-dimensional space where shapes and patterns took precedence over naturalistic depiction. In Analytic Cubism, artists overlapped and dissected forms to create a complex pattern; in Synthetic Cubism, they created flat synthesized shapes in abstract spaces.
To illustrate the surface using Cubism, the third set of blocks should involve the deconstruction of images into geometric shapes such as cubes, cylinders, and other polygonal forms, arranged in a way that plays with the viewer's perspective. The result would be a complex yet unified design that plays with spatial relationships, akin to the geometric abstraction seen in Cubism, potentially using a muted palette as was characteristic in early Cubist works.