LAURA SATERSMOEN: Gerhard Richter has made a number of paintings featuring flickering candles. They’re part of a long tradition of still life paintings which symbolize the fleeting nature of life. Bob Fisher remembers this work well: 

BOB FISHER: My parents actually own a piece by Richter with two candles. And the story about that piece was that they would keep it over the fireplace during the fall, winter, and spring. And in the summer when they spent time down in Atherton, they’d put it in the back of their station wagon, my mom’s station wagon, drive it down and put it over the television set down in Atherton. So it was a piece that traveled with them. If that car had gotten rear ended, It would’ve been a real problem for the piece. 

My children have grown up with the piece. It’s very photographic and I’m a photography collector; so it’s a wonderful thing knowing that it will be on view to the public and that I can come see it anytime.