Joshua Jay

Joshua Jay cofounded Vanishing Inc. in 2008: this site and the associated team members, tricks, books, and gatherings occupy an enormous amount of his time. When Josh isn’t helping to run Vanishing Inc., though, his passion is creating and performing magic.

Jay has amassed an impressive body of work: his books include a memorized deck opus called The Particle System, and he has also released the trick he used to fool Penn & Teller: “Out of Sight”. His original piece, “Inferno”, is considered one of the top-selling and most-performed tricks of the last decade. His favorite release remains How Magicians Think, a book of essays on magic’s psychology, quirky characters, and history.

As a performer, Jay has traveled the globe with his original brand of magic. He has performed sold-out shows at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, and has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Late Show Starring James Corden. He has delivered keynote speeches on magic and creativity at Harvard University, Pixar, and Google. He consulted with the US Postal Service on their stamp series, “Magic,” and helped design illusions for Game of Thrones. In 2021, he was named Magician of the Year for his contributions to the art of magic by the Society of American Magicians Parent Assembly.