The artwork titled “One Hundred Live and Die” was created by the artist Bruce Nauman in the year 1984. It is associated with the Minimalism art movement and falls under the genre of installation art.
The artwork comprises a grid of neon signs, each displaying a pair of contrasting verbs connected by the conjunction “and” with either “die” or “live” at the end of each phrase. The neon signs are organized in columns, exhibiting a variety of actions and states such as “SING AND LIVE,” “SCREAM AND DIE,” “PLAY AND LIVE,” “CRY AND DIE,” among others. Each phrase is rendered in a different color, illuminating the space with a vivid, glowing array. This assembly of neon lights creates a dynamic, repetitive, and visually captivating piece that provokes contemplation on the dualities of existence and the human condition.