The Agenda of the November Elves by Dani Umpi Photo: Bi Mengying/GT

When discussing Uruguay, the first thing that comes to mind among most Chinese would probably be football or beef, as China buys 60 percent of the South American country's beef exports.  

Although Uruguay's arts and literature may not be as familiar with the Chinese, it seems that it is slowly changing. An art exhibition titled "Uruguayan Arts in China" opened Thursday at the Uruguayan Embassy in Beijing, and showcases work from two of the country's most renowned artists, Juan Perazzo and Dani Umpi.

Perazzo is known for using waste and recycled materials to create his artwork. His latest piece, "Wind dragons, a reflection on the passage of the wind," was created specifically for the Beijing exhibition and incorporates various materials, sensors, and chips. Visitors can touch and explore the installation.

"After receiving the invitation for exhibition in China, I decided to create an artwork composed of elements including water, fire, wind, and dragons," said Perazzo during the exhibition's opening ceremony. 

Juan Perazzo stands next to his work - Wind dragons, A Reflection on the Passage of the Wind - Thursday in Beijing. Photo: Bi Mengying/GT

Perazzo revealed that he was born in the Year of the Dragon, the fifth in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac sign. 

Similar to Perazzo, Umpi uses discarded material for his artistic creations to raise awareness on environmental protection. 

The exhibition features Umpi's "The agenda of the November's elves" which is a series of collages featuring magazine clippings as his work is a fusion of literature, music, and visual arts. 

Umpi is also a novelist and his book, "Miss Tacuarembo," was adapted for the screen in 2010. His work has been exhibited in countries across Latin America and Europe, and he expressed hope that more of his work could be translated into Chinese.