Lena Mattsson began her artistic career as a painter, but works today mainly within the field of video and performance. Her work often contains references to art and film history. Mattsson has shown her films and video installations in solo exhibitions at Moderna Museet Malmö, Malmö Konsthall, Malmö Konstmuseum, Nordic Watercolor Museum, The Contemporary Art Gallery at Bohusläns Museum and more, as well as at film festivals, and several group exhibitions.

From 2006 to 2015, Lena Mattsson has been awarded twice the Five-year working grant from the Swedish Arts Council.